AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 92

P&E

NEVER AGAIN

does not fly the pattern like a Cessna 150.
Before long, the Orion had extended its
downwind much farther than I expected.
Michael emphasized a regimented
way to know when to turn downwind to
base. I would use the runway threshold as
a reference between the left wing tip and
the horizontal stabilizer. Unfortunately, I
could not do this, unless I thought it wise
to broadside the P–3, now on final. Instead,
I also extended my downwind to compensate for the Orion’s pattern. But I also did
not want to create my own excessively long
and flat final approach.
In what I considered a smart compromise, I flew the remainder of the approach
for a planned touchdown only a minute or
so after the Orion’s touch and go. What the
heck was I thinking?
Base to final, no problem. The P–3 had
just finished its touch and go as I crossed
the threshold of Runway 26. Then, as
I began to flare, everything unraveled.
The little Cessna pitched up violently
and banked uncontrollably to the right

at least 60 degrees. The airspeed dropped
off rapidly as the stall warning horn
and my screaming expletives filled the
cabin. I knew I was going to crash. Hard
opposite controls and quick power management corrected the upset, but I was now
about 20 feet above the runway centerline
with an airspeed needle winding rapidly
counterclockwise. As my little craft sank
toward the concrete, my only option was a
hard pull on the yoke, which through some
miracle of aerodynamics allowed me to settle perfectly onto Runway 26.
In retrospect, I found it quite interesting that my only concern while taxiing
to the Blythe FSS for my logbook signoff—other than finding the nearest
bathroom—was whether anyone on the
ramp observed my hair-raising landing.

Thankfully, both the ramp and the bathroom were empty.
Leg three of the trip was great. Ryan Field
greeted me with a pristine desert evening
and Michael with his predictable, thorough debriefing. Although I did mention an
unusual landing to Michael, I did not share
the details. I am sure, however, that had he
known of my wake turbulence wake-up, he
would have agreed with my assessment. I
became so comfortable with my “beautiful”
trip that even the most basic safety rule—
wake turbulence separation—got lost in the
majesty and fun of everything else. AOPA
RICHARD P. HASSLER is an instrument-rated

pilot who lives in northeast Ohio. His latest
book, The Tao of Flying, is available on
Amazon Kindle.

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013

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