Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'engine tear down'.
-
August 2016 I was delivering my Mooney M20c to my mechanic, Bobby Norman, at the Parr airport (42I) in Zanesville Ohio. I had interaction with Bobby years ago, and he came highly recommended by a number of local Mooney owners. I had thought the field was about 2300 feet (wrong, more on that later) so coming in over the trees I pulled the power to idle, put it in a forward slip and came down. 75mph over the numbers, flared and BANG!. Hardest landing I'd ever done in anything. At the top of the bounce I had a choice, and decided to ride it out. I was uncomfortable trying to go around at a short strip in that predicament. The aircraft bounced a couple more times and stopped, and I taxied back. I had struck the prop in that landing, quite badly. The prop was bent asymmetrically, and the craskshaft busted. I hit hard enough that the force went through the gear into the Johnson bar, wrecking the mechanism that holds it in place (Bobby only figured that part out when he started taxiing. He said it was quite exciting). It took 9 months for the tear down, prop repair, and everything else. The engine repairs were done by a very reputable shop, and the aircraft is now back in service. I just did the first oil change after the teardown. I would have overhauled the engine at this juncture, but it only had 700 hours, and I didn't have the money. What I did wrong: The first thing is entirely insidious. I should have checked the length of the field, since it is now a very comfortable 3k feet. Why didn't I? Because the last time I was there it was 2300 feet! Hardest thing in the world is to override personal experience, but sometimes we really have to. Of course, the other big thing was pulling the power over the trees. Once I got into the runway environment the aircraft didn't have the energy to overcome the sink. Why pull power? Normally in this situation I maintain 12-13" manifold pressure, and use a forward slip. Indeed, most of my landings done this way are well within 2K feet. So why did I change? Worry about a field that I thought (incorrectly) was short. Even if it was 2300, I could have landed the Mooney in it just following my normal procedures. Talk about rubbing salt in the wound. What I did right: riding it out and letting it settle turned out to be the perfect move. I had an asymmetric prop, a badly damaged engine, and I was at a somewhat short and very narrow strip surrounded by hills and mountains. I don't know what would have happened had I put in the power, but it wouldn't have been good. Sometimes its just better not to add extra energy to a bad situation. Perhaps if you don't you'll prang the airplane, but if you do you get to be the one pranged. I recall a fatal TBM accident nearly identical to mine, the aircraft landed hard and struck the prop. The only difference is that guy put in the power at the top of the bounce, and now he's dead. I can't put into words what this did to me. If you noticed me gone for an extended period, its because I couldn't show my face after this. I think one thing might give you an idea, today is the first day I'm thinking I'll actually stick with this aviation thing. I've sort of been on the fence thinking about bailing for the last year. With any luck this will help someone not make the mistake I did. At least it had one silver lining. Hopefully I'll never say I landed worse.
- 89 replies
-
- 23