Ski flying story

[Dano"T"]

I went ski flying Saturday...It was a nice day for the most part, I was going to fly 40 miles north and meet some friends on Lake St.Catherine. They were snowmobiling up there and I thought it would be fun to meet them there with my plane and visit for a while. The flight there was good...the farther north I went the lower the cieling got but it was certainly VFR with occassional light snow. I arrived at the lake and saw them all lined up on their machines so I did a low fly by to inspect the surface and get an idea of Ice and snow conditions before landing...lake is 3500' long with high trees on either end...no real big deal, I'll just slip it in over the trees, land and have a cup of hot coffee. I was keeping in mind that there were no tracks of any kind on the surface, so depth perception would be marginal at best. This seemed to be compounded by the overcast conditions and light snow. Still, I have flown cubs and T-crafts for 20 years on skis and have always considered myself proficient enough. I was coming in on final when I noticed my airspeed indicator reading 45 mph! Well, my butt told me I was going a lot faster than that...but my mind almost panicked. I was in a side slip 75-100 feet above the surface when I pulled out of the slip to flare the a/s said 40! I was 50 feet over the lake>>>or was I??? I suddenly lost my depth perception due to the conditions mentioned above and my mind saw the A/S at or near stall speed and I was WAY to high. I slowly added power for a go around and the engine coughed and the caught (whew) and I went around. I shot another approach, this time ignoring my A/S indicator and did a powered landing so I could feel for the surface that I could not see. (Just Like a glassy water landing on floats). I went over and visited my friends who were unaware that anything was wrong. What had happened was the rubber sleeve that connects my pitot tube between the cockpit and the wing root had slid down somehow causing a leak...and a low reading (25-30 mph off). I knew in my mind I was going faster than that...but the needle said 40 and that was not good.....my heart jumped. I think I would have preferred the Instrument quit working altogether rather than give false reading...the mind is a terrible thing! I replaced the tubing when I got home...but felt compelled to share this with you guys who are new to ski flying. Learn to "feel" your airplane and don't "always" trust your instruments. Also, get some instruction before attempting any ski flying....sometimes it seems easier than wheels...but there are hidden dangers, and they can and will bite you. An inexperienced (or experienced) flyer could easily have stalled out 30 feet above the surface in these conditions and nosed her in....all the while thinking the approach is normal. I've experienced this before, but never to this degree and never whilst experiencing a flawed airspeed reading. Always try to land near shore...and if there is ample room fly it onto the surface with power. If you operate off of lakes where there are wide open spaces it doesn't hurt to throw pine boughs out where you like to land or use marking paint to aid depth perception. And never think that you are so experienced that this will never happen to you. Have fun and be carefull.

[Yellow Duck]

Re: Ski flying story

Nice story. Enjoyed that . New flew off ice except in Helicopters. In Korea, MA, and NY while in the Army. Did fly float planes here in Louisiana in the Oil Fields tho.

Keep them comming

ps: need someone to look at an aircraft for me at Twin Conty Airport (MNM). Are you near there ? Or anyone else ?

[Dano"T"]

Re: Ski flying story

Lee,

I know that airplane if it belongs to Everett Anderson and is red and white. My IA recovered it. It is very nice. Here is a picture. I taxied it around in August...a friend was looking at it...he didn't buy...I almost did. It has an A65 and a wing tank...very nice plane 776# empty.

[Len Petterson]

Re: Ski flying story

Dano, your story makes me thinking. I shall replace the out side hoses as well .......They look good, but so did my old girlfriend....
I have 2 hoses conecting tubing to the airspeed and altimeter in the cabin behind windshield post cover.
After clearing water out of the system and reassmble the tubing/hose conection a partial break in the hose from the pitotube gave a low airspeed indication. Why the water; No pito cover!
Whats wrong with the plane? Top speed is only 80 at 2200 rpm ?
One pilot said : A,just a Hot day, No hot or not, I should have 88-90 IAS.
One end of the hose had a crack in it. not visable unless removed.
Yes allways compare performence from fligth to fligth never take it for granted what it will do what you expect it to do!
2100 rpm = 90 mph = 4.25 GHr=the fuel gauge is where I seen it when I landed,now I can make it home.
If the number dont match? No Go!
Play it safe, like Dano said SEAT of pants flying is good to know.
When we fly by the seat of our pants, we use our hearing a lot, be avare of noise canseling head sets.
I have LISTEND to my plane and others with noise canseling head sets.
If you want to know how the engine realy runs, turn OFF the noise canceling.
Details in the sound are different!
If you are hard of hearing ( or think what you are) have someone else listen to your plane once in awhile.
My friend and I are in this sitiuation with our hearings.
Len

[Dano"T"]

Re: Ski flying story

Here is a picture of me visiting with friends on Lake St. Catherine. I'm the guy with the hand on the prop. Fun.