AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2020 - 98

P&E

NEVER AGAIN

Into the corn
Training kicks in
BY SCOT T S. THOMAS

98 | AOPA PILOT February 2020

best glide speed, I verified the mags on Both,
then Left and Right individually; switched
fuel tanks; applied carburetor heat; verified the landing gear and flaps full up; and
retrimmed the nose.
I judged the distance to the airport boundary and stated that we needed to have a field
or two picked out in case the glide didn't look
good after we stabilized. I quickly determined
that we were not within a glide of the airport
property and selected a field, planted in corn,
we had seen just behind the right wing. My
reasoning was that it was along a ridge of an
otherwise very steep hill surrounded by other
inhospitable hillsides, and all the pastures had
relatively close fences and had visible obstacles (rocks included) and cattle. I also reasoned
that the corn would help dissipate energy. I
briefly experimented with the hand fuel pump,
starter, mixture, and throttle, hoping for at least
partial power, with zero engine response.
Daniel remained calm and very helpful.

ANNA MILL

I WAS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT in
my Bellanca Cruisair, taking off from Twin
County Airport (HLX) in Hillsville, Virginia.
My friend Daniel, a student pilot, was in
the right seat; I was the pilot in command. I
planned to take off from Runway 19 and make
a large, sweeping right turn to return to the
airport. I anticipated a flight of 15 to 30 minutes maximum.
Approximately 5 to 7 miles from the airport, I was arcing back to the field at about
1,500 or 1,700 feet agl in a cruise configuration, climbing gently, when I felt a sensation
similar to driving over a rumble strip on a
highway, without much discernable noise
change. The engine suddenly backed off to
idle with a mild shuddering sensation. The
propeller continued to windmill.
My initial reaction was to raise the nose
and verify that the throttle and mixture
were forward; they were. Still in a gentle
climb as I decelerated to approximately

I initiated a brisk turn to the right,
which put us on a slightly high angling left
base leg. I told Daniel my intentions, and
once I assured we were clear of the power
transmission lines/towers, I confirmed
we were configured for a full-flap, gear-up
landing and then went left to right in the
cockpit, turning off any potential hazards to
our landings, including mags, throttle and
mixture full out, master switch Off. I told
Daniel to verify the cabin door was ajar, at
which point he asked about the wheels, and
I stated that it would be an intentional gear
up to avoid nosing over.
Just above the corn, I realized my plan to
touch down just as the field settled slightly
in a bowl-the seaplane technique for water
landings in swells-was off, and I actually
went into the corn tassels seconds past that
point, dragging the tail. The descent through
the approximately 6-foot-high corn was
very noisy and short-lived as it provided
rapid deceleration, as anticipated, and we
impacted nose high, wings level, very firmly,
and stopped almost immediately, skewing
about 30 to 40 degrees left just as we stopped.
Even with my experience flying from aircraft
carriers, that touchdown and deceleration is
at least tied for the most violent arrestment
I've experienced. My inertia reel lap belts and
shoulder harness were wonderful.
As soon as we stopped moving, I checked
on Daniel and told him firmly to get out of
the airplane; he did so eagerly. As he exited
I handed, possibly threw, the first aid kit at
him and followed immediately. Once clear
we tried to confirm that neither of us was
hurt. We remained somewhat away from
the aircraft, and then got closer to inspect
it. I did not see or smell fuel, oil, smoke, or
flame-so, from the wing, I confirmed I had
the airplane and its systems turned off and
looked for my cellphone. It was later found in
the corn stubble about 12 feet from the cockpit, apparently having broken free of its yoke
holder and exited through the right lower
corner of the windshield.
We set out through the corn, downhill,
in the general direction of the nearest road.
I estimate our not-so-straight path to the
first cattle fence, and subsequent cow path,
to have covered what is actually only about
one-quarter mile. While walking we both
called family members to inform them of

AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2020

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