AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2022 - 102

RUDDER & WRENCH
the airplane eastward. Thirty seconds
total had gone by. I told Albany the engine
was running rough, and that I believed I
lost a cylinder. They asked if I needed
assistance. I indicated the situation was
urgent, but that I did not require assistance
yet, and I would advise if something
changed. At the time, I asked myself, " is
a partial failure an emergency? " I didn't
know. I was aware that the entire engine
could quit at any time, but 75 percent of
it was still working as far as I could tell. I
seemed to be losing a bit of altitude, but it
wasn't really much. I determined I would
declare an emergency if I lost another
cylinder, or if the situation seemed to
deteriorate further in any way.
In retrospect, this is one thing I
102
would have done differently if it happened
again. A partial engine failure
should always be regarded as an emergency.
In all my flight training and hours
(about 400), I practiced lots of emergencies,
but any related to an engine failure
always involved a complete failure. They
are very straightforward. A partial failure
is far more complex. There is no time
to vacillate. Any wishy-washiness is lost
altitude and a relative domino effect of
problems leading to catastrophe.
So, I trudged along back to Albany. I
lost a bit of altitude, but overall not much.
The airplane was violently vibrating. It
looked like the cowling might break
apart. I divided my attention between
the G2 analyzer, the instruments, and
the radio. I watched that little blue circle
on ForeFlight like a hawk-the one
that tells you how far you can get on best
glide. I felt increased confidence every
time one of the small airfields came inside
the circle.
Before I knew it, I was on the ground
in Albany, sputtering along. I parked
outside of the hangar and shut down the
airplane. And then I waited a few minutes
for my hands to stop shaking. My seatbelt
was still on. I picked up my phone and
dialed Rich Klein, a pilot and the maintenance
officer of my flying club.
Rich arrived and we removed the
cowling. And there it was: a bent pushrod
on cylinder 3. 4GW was going to need
a cardiac catheterization. Had I caused
it somehow? Thus far with the analysis
that has been done, the only thing that
has been identified is that no one had
been leaning the mixture enough while
the airplane was on the ground.
I will leave you with one last pearl.
Whether you believe you can, or you
believe you cannot, you are probably
right. If you need something to believe
in, start with yourself. I always tell myself
I can do it, I can handle it, whatever the
situation. Not that I don't have moments
of self-doubt, but I have trained my inner
voice to repeat positive self-talk when I
am fearful. If you don't do this, I suggest
you start now. Your entire life will be better
because of it.
Amanda M. Stahl, M.D. is an instrumentrated
private pilot with tailwheel and high
performance endorsements in Rexford,
New York.
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2022

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