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**Mark Julicher** · 01-14-2009, 12:18

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Wow CJ!

Good on you for making such a nice landing under the circumstances.

Did the flight surgeon have to extract the seat cushion afterwards?

I'm glad you are OK! A little bent metal is no biggie in the grand scheme of things.

**Ragwing nut** · 01-14-2009, 13:23

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Were you flying the Stearman? That is not how you ever want to make the news. I think when I put a Cruisair in a field in Nebraska about 5 years ago I made 3 local newpapers. Glad your ok.

Mike

**Rick Hadley** · 01-14-2009, 14:49

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Magnificent job at getting her down safely Chris. It doesn't look like there will be much work to put her back into flying shape...I'd be more worried about why it quit than anything I guess.

**VictorBravo** · 01-14-2009, 14:58

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Originally posted by PT13Pilot View Post

Hi guys.
My Boston trip went south around Pittsburgh. Everyone keeps telling me, be glad to be alive. I don't see it that way I guess, I see it as hurting an old airplane and wanting to know why.

Just glad noone on the ground was hurt. And that's my new favorite airplane.

She may have left me hanging, but she also pulled off a 270 degree turn hard vertical turn to get to there that I wouldn't have tried in a Taylorcraft.

Congratulations on handling your first few out of your "15 minutes of fame" Chris. We're proud on ya'.

That NAvion ain't hurt bad at all... matter of fact the only thing that even might have been worried is that house if it got hit by a NAvion

You could probably fly that thing back out of that same field after you found whatever went bad in the engine room.

Now, as for that 270 degree turn you wouldn't have tried in a Taylorcraft... why not? The T-craft would have gained altitude

**wlas** · 01-14-2009, 15:17

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Hey! good job. does that have the E model continental in it ? looks like a little work there, but your ok and thats what counts. The only time I made a dead stick landing was when my crankshaft broke, I didn't make the news, but thats because I was miles and miles from anything. Again good job.

**DanBrown** · 01-14-2009, 15:36

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Congratulations Chris -- no one was hurt. Yes, the Navion is a fine airplane. I was in a Navion club in Hawthorne, CA in the early 60's. With the bent prop and likely having to check out the crank shaft, it's unfortunately going to be expensive and time consuming. IMHO the Tcraft would have made it easier with no damage. Good luck with getting her out and getting her back in the air.

**PT13Pilot** · 01-14-2009, 15:48

Re: My trip didn't go very well

The media wasn't going to leave me alone so I figured I'd say something so they wouldn't make their own "conclusions". They kept asking why I was so happy and I told them look at where I am, what's around, the time I had, and the fact I'm standing here. What's not to be happy about?
And in regards to the "turn". A Tcraft may glide well, but the roll rate is so freakin slow I wouldn't have made it!

I ended up with extra altitude and had to slip and roll it off.
I actually picked this field with the time I had only after almost overflying it. I google earthed a minute ago the area and it was the only place I had. I was trying to pick an area away from houses when I realized I truely had no where to go. A few seconds later I saw this field over my left shoulder, the wing had been obscuring it. I didn't think I'd make it to the other end and get turned around and if I came up short, it was nothing but houses, so not an option. Stuffed the nose, rolled her over and came back around. Then saw the gap in the trees and decided to fly between and not run the risk of getting into the houses on the other end. The only time I remember looking at the airspeed was just before I went between the trees, trying to judge how far I'd go, or if I clipped the trees, what would I have left. It was 75 MPH and I knew at that point I had it in the bag. It worked, but I guess could have just as easily not worked. My sister was quick to remind me of my grandfather, a WWII glider pilot, that I grew up with. I'm guessing I had a pretty competent copilot for that ride. And as Bob Hoover said, and I always remember, "Fly it till the last piece stops moving".

**Ragwing nut** · 01-14-2009, 19:01

Re: My trip didn't go very well

I will let the media draw there own conclusions. The FAA knows how to read and could use anything against you especially if the media twists a quote.

The roll rate is greater than you think on a Taylorcraft. You must lead with the rudder. It will turn on a dime if done right.

**N74DV** · 01-14-2009, 23:23

Re: My trip didn't go very well

what a great job setting it down where you did. Magnificent skill. Glad to see no injury other than some skin rash to that beautiful plane and a bent prop.

**PT13Pilot** · 01-14-2009, 23:26

Re: My trip didn't go very well

There is one thing that truely pisses me off (other than sticking the airplane there) and just confirms what I already think of the average Fed. It took the 2 feds over 3 hours to get there and their office is 30 minutes away. When they got there, the manager of emergency services left (and he was a true gentleman). So there I stood there with the Feds and after they looked things over, for a whole 20 minutes, as it was cold, the sun was going down, and near quitting time, they asked what my plans were. Hell, I even gave them basic tools to look at things, since they didn't have anything, as I had the tool bag of basics I had brought along. I said, since I was standing in a yard in an area I didn't know, that I had no idea what I was going to do. They said, "well, the jeep is government property, and we can't take you anywhere". Then started loading up and getting ready to leave!!!!! Not, we can't give you a ride but we'll help find you something, or here's a number for a cab, or anything. Thankfully an off duty volunteer fireman who was busy when the call came in, stopped by to look on his way home. He walked up as we were discussing my situation. He said to get what I needed out of the airplane and that he'd take me anywhere, as long as it wasn't all the way home. Once the feds figured out I was mobile, they wanted to talk more "indoors somewhere". The fireman took me to the airport that was close, waited for me to talk to the feds for another hour or more, had a car lined up for a rental (the place was closing while talking to the feds), had directions to a motel, and waited to make sure I didn't need anything else. I couldn't thank him enough. Did I mention he was a VOLUNTEER fireman? 2 Feds makin 200K between them and not even a "good luck, we're going home".

**Ragwing nut** · 01-14-2009, 23:40

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Mine was even better. They did not even bother to come out since no damage was done to private property nor any injury but minor bruises to myself. We were able to move it out of the field before the FAA decided to investigate 3 days later! Then we were planning to move it home due to weather coming in and they did not want us to touch it. I told them either we moved it or they were financialy responsible and my attorney would be the next person they talked to. They promptly released it and was able to move it 300 miles home. It gets even better than this but I will leave that for another time.

**Ragwing nut** · 01-14-2009, 23:42

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Mine was even better. They did not even bother to come out since no damage was done to private property nor any injury but minor bruises to myself. We were able to move it out of the field before the FAA decided to investigate 3 days later! Then we were planning to move it home due to weather coming in and they did not want us to touch it. I told them either we moved it or they were financialy responsible and my attorney would be the next person they talked to. They promptly released it and was able to move it 300 miles home. It gets even better than this but I will leave that for another time.

I was lucky to as a local farmer allowed us to use his tractor and trailer to move the bellanca out of the field, store it on his farm for a week, and use any tools we needed. I was blesses that day.

**PT13Pilot** · 01-14-2009, 23:49

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Amen to that! All the EMS people were amazing, brought me coffee, let me warm up in there trucks, asked if I needed anything at all for the over 3 hours I waited. The homeowner who now has a new lawn ornament even said it can stay there till summer if need be, kept telling me she was just glad I was alright and do what I needed to do. She also brought me coffee and before she left said she had left the back door open in case I needed a bathroom or just a place to relax. My appreciation to all of them is imeasurable.

**VictorBravo** · 01-14-2009, 23:52

Re: My trip didn't go very well

Originally posted by Ragwing nut View Post

I was lucky to as a local farmer allowed us to use his tractor and trailer to move the bellanca out of the field, store it on his farm for a week, and use any tools we needed. I was blesses that day.

That's a wonderful example of how aviation brings out the best in non-aviation people, and gives city people like myself renewed faith in others. I've had some experiences along those lines and so have many many airplane people.

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