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Stuck for 2 days in Cedar City, Utah

ragedracer1977
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ragedracer1977 Veteran

ragedracer1977

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Well, I'm home now, but it was an experience.  My wife decided she wanted to get out AZ and go see some 'real' fall colors.  I heard the area around CDC was pretty good for that, so I planned it out.  Weather forecast was for some light rain all day Saturday, but ceilings above 3000' until late into the evening.  We left bright and early Saturday morning.  Everything was pretty good until we started getting closer to the field.  Forecast called for 3700' ceilings, actual was more like 2000'.  I knew the forecast showed improving conditions, so we went on in. Landed about 10a local. We spent the day driving up to Brian Head and Sunset Trail, where there was already a foot of snow on the ground.  Unbeknownst to my wife, I was keeping an eye on the weather, and by about 2p I knew we were spending the night.  Ceilings kept getting lower and lower.  I think around 300' was the last report I got when I called the AWOS.  So, I called up the FBO (CDC has some awesome folks, by the way!) and asked to keep the courtesy car overnight.  No problem.  We grabbed a hotel and had a really nice dinner and evening without the kiddos!  

Come Sunday morning, it's really not looking better.  In fact, it looks worse.  Again, forecast called for ceilings well above 2000', but that wasn't happening.  We drove out the field around noon as it looked like the best chance was between 12 and 2.  At St. George, just 40 miles south, the ceilings were 12,000.  Figures.  To top off the adventure, the AWOS broke in the middle of the night, so there weren't any actual reports and we had to just use our eyes and judge.  The math (spread /4.4 * 1000) had the ceilings about 500' and my eyes told me that was pretty accurate.  We weren't the only folks stranded.  There were 2 guys in Air Tractors (aerial firefighters) and a really nice woman from Idaho in her 182.  I threw in the towel for good when the Aerial Firefighter guys said there was no way in hell they were going flying.  If they wouldn't, I wouldn't, LOL!.  So, we spent the night again.  Side note:  If you ever go to Cedar City, check out the MStar Hotel.  It's $40 a night, but the rooms are outstanding.  Anywhere else, I'd expect to pay $150 a night, at least.  It's an old run down place, but they've put a LOT of money into the rooms. 

Finally got out this morning.  Ceilings were still crap, about 12-1800 AGL, according to the heli guys that were buzzing around. Just above minimums.  Visibility was good, though.  We headed south and in just a few minutes the ceiling was over 10,000.  

Lessons learned:  Bring extra stuff.  We had to go to walmart and get toiletries and underwear and clothes.  I brought a ton of keep warm stuff, but didn't plan on being away from home for 2 days.  Think a toiletry kit is gonna become part of my flight bag.  Just the basics.  Also, it dawned on me later that we could have left even though the ceilings were below VFR minimums.  Not that I would have (they were low enough that it would have been stupid), but I forgot about Special VFR.  CDC is class E to the surface.  Untowered, but I could have called up SLC approach on the radio or on the phone and requested special VFR.  Maybe not the greatest idea, but when you can actually see the sun a few miles away (which you could this morning) it might come in handy if you're dumb enough.

 

Adding to the adventure:  I ran a tank dry on the way up.  I knew I was getting close, I was watching the gauge, and then I was gonna switch as soon as I saw the FP start to drop.  I normally get about 2-3 minutes before the engine quits once I see the FP start fluttering.  Well, I forgot.  I got distracted.  All of a sudden the engine stops.  I say "Oh shit!" and in my head I meant, "Oh shit, forgot to switch tanks, lemme do that real quick."  Except all I said was "Oh shit.".  I quickly switched tanks and the engine came right back online, no issues.  My wife had been quiet watching a movie most of the flight, so I didn't even think about.  2 or 3 minutes go by and she finally quietly says "Are we going to crash?"  WHAT?  She said all she knew was she heard the engine sputter, I said Oh shit, and then nothing else.  She said "I just figured I better be quiet and not say anything to interrupt you, but I thought we were going down."  LOL.  Moral:  Keep your wife informed, or better yet never say "Oh shit." and then not follow up with why you said it.  

More adventure.  On the way home, we're approaching the rim of the Grand Canyon just north of 1G4 (grand canyon west).  Were still north of the SFRA, so we weren't that close.  I started to smell something hot.  Maybe something burning.  Uh Oh.  Having learned my lesson last time, I didn't say anything.  I started trouble shooting.  I made a turn towards 1G4 (closest field).  But I'm looking at the rim of the canyon and beginning to make a decision to continue or put the plane down on the rim of the canyon.  Once you're over the canyon, options diminish very quickly!  First I turned off the cabin heat.  It didn't improve.  I start looking around the cabin and this time OH SHIT.  I see smoke.  Something IS burning.  About that time, my wife notices.  She asks if I smell smoke.  I say yes, I've been troubleshooting the last 20 seconds.  I start to reach over to start shutting down the avionics and she sees it.  It's the power cord to the Stratus.  I'll post pictures later.  Right where it plugs in it was melted and smoking pretty good.  Unplugged everything and we were good.  Fire in the cockpit scares me.  Glad we got it figured out, but equally glad that I was making mental decisions very quickly and not feeling panicky at all.  

Last adventure.  Coming back into DVT, I call up the tower about 12 out.  Get right traffic for 25R.  I ask for 25L if able.  As I'm descending in, Tower calls and says "cross midfield at 2,000, make left traffic for 25L, then contact tower 118.4 (south tower)." Hmm.  Pattern altitude is 2,500.  I hesitated but I made sure to read back clearly "cross midfield at TWO THOUSAND FEET, left traffic 25L, then contact 118.4".  I'm at 2700' about a mile north of the tower, so I pull the throttle all the way back, gear out, get it down to 2000 before I hit midfield.  As I'm reaching to change frequencies, Tower calls and basically says what the hell are you doing, I told you 2500, get back up to pattern altitude and contact 118.4.  I reply that he told me 2000, I read back 2000, and I'm initiating a climb to 2500, switching frequencies.  So, everything back full forward, pitch up and back to 2500.  Uneventful landing.  I went back and listened to the tapes on LiveATC and there's no doubt he told me 2000, and I read back 2000.  Clear as a bell.  They didn't give me a number or anything, and I swear when I switched and called ground, I could hear a background conversation that included something about 2000'.  I filed a NASA report anyway.  

So, that's the story of my weekend!

Edited by ragedracer1977
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0TreeLemur Grand Master

0TreeLemur

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Interesting story.   The IFR ticket is the thing to have, I'm convinced, to make personal air travel much more certain.   Spent five days with our Mooney tied down in CDC in August while we toured Southern Utah in a rental.   Very nice area.

Regarding running tanks dry, I was taught by a WW-II era pilot to always run your not-last tank(s) dry.  Then you know by god that they are empty.   So I warn my co-pilot that it is about to happen, and _she_ will watch the FP religiously, because _she_ hates it when the engine sputters.  That's my trick.

Marauder Grand Master

Marauder

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That story sounds like my years before I got my instrument rating. It is amazing how quickly weather can change from what you expect to what you get.


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0TreeLemur Grand Master

0TreeLemur

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Nice pics!    The smoke in the cockpit from the dodgy Stratus power connector is scary as hell.  Most of us have one of those.   Looking forward to details on WTF went wrong with that!  Please advise when able.

gsxrpilot Grand Master

gsxrpilot

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Great PIREP... and yeah... get that IR.

We also wanted to get away for the weekend and get some cooler fall wether. Austin thinks it's still summer... like high 80's low 90's summer.  But Texas is large and so we only got as far as Hot Spring, AR. It was mid 80's all weekend, so basically still summer. Oh well. We also had weather going both directions... but with an IR, a non-event and we stayed right on schedule.

You think a Mooney is a great traveling machine... try one with an IR Pilot at the controls. 

ragedracer1977 Veteran

ragedracer1977

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I have the IR.  It was 0c at the surface.  Tops at 16,000.  Field elevation was 5800'. MEA 10,000.  No oxygen on board.  Flying through who knows how much icing seemed like a bad idea.  

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kerry Mentor

kerry

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With all the snow pics you showed in SW Utah I bet Bryce Canyon is beautiful right now.  When the weather changes in the next week or so I'll have to make a trip there before the park closes for the year.

ragedracer1977 Veteran

ragedracer1977

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46 minutes ago, Fred_2O said:

Nice pics!    The smoke in the cockpit from the dodgy Stratus power connector is scary as hell.  Most of us have one of those.   Looking forward to details on WTF went wrong with that!  Please advise when able.

Will do.  It was not the factory cable, so I don't yet know if it was the cable that was faulty or the Stratus.  The Stratus was still working via battery power just fine.

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ragedracer1977 Veteran

ragedracer1977

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Just now, kerry said:

With all the snow pics you showed in SW Utah I bet Bryce Canyon is beautiful right now.  When the weather changes in the next week or so I'll have to make a trip there before the park closes for the year.

Yeah I wanted to fly that way but BCE was low IFR all weekend and even this morning

gsxrpilot Grand Master

gsxrpilot

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25 minutes ago, kerry said:

With all the snow pics you showed in SW Utah I bet Bryce Canyon is beautiful right now.  When the weather changes in the next week or so I'll have to make a trip there before the park closes for the year.

I'm pretty sure the park never closes. We plan to try and visit around Christmas time.

Yetti Grand Master

Yetti

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Fun times.   I think we had this discussion awhile back, but I think untowered don't need no SVFR.   Not that you wanted to fly anyways due to icing.  Is there a walmart near? Cool I have a card.  Pretty much how I travel anyways.

Edited by Yetti
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Steve W Proficient

Steve W

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11 minutes ago, Yetti said:

Fun times.   I think we had this discussion awhile back, but I think untowered don't need no SVFR.   Not that you wanted to fly anyways due to icing.  Is there a walmart near? Cool I have a card.  Pretty much how I travel anyways.

Class E to the surface means legally if you're below VFR there you still need SVFR from whoever controls that airspace, I hear it at the airport here on occasion from the helicopters having to call Seattle.

nels Mentor

nels

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Great report!

Just got back from a three week trip out west. Two of the three weeks were spent in southern Utah. What a beautiful area to visit. No Mooneybut rather a 1958 vintage camper. Still a lot of fun. 

SantosDumont Rising Star

SantosDumont

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I'm never running a tank dry.  With all 4 tanks I got 100GAL on board.  If it's just me + 1 then I usually launch with the inner tanks full (64 GAL).  I get nervous when I get below 10 per side.

I had the power supply on my B-Kool burn out this summer.  Started smelling burning and then it melted my cigarette plug and blew the fuse.  Bought a new power supply with much higher gauge wire and a quick disconnect plug.

ragedracer1977 Veteran

ragedracer1977

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2 hours ago, Yetti said:

Fun times.   I think we had this discussion awhile back, but I think untowered don't need no SVFR.   Not that you wanted to fly anyways due to icing.  Is there a walmart near? Cool I have a card.  Pretty much how I travel anyways.

True, if it’s class G to 700 or 1200 AGL.  KCDC is E to the surface.  So, you have to simultaneously remain 500’ below the clouds while remaining 500 agl.  So, VFR minimum is 1000’.

edit to add: yes there was a Walmart.  My wife and I bough some spare clothes.  

Edited by ragedracer1977
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thinwing Grand Master

thinwing

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20 hours ago, ragedracer1977 said:

I have the IR.  It was 0c at the surface.  Tops at 16,000.  Field elevation was 5800'. MEA 10,000.  No oxygen on board.  Flying through who knows how much icing seemed like a bad idea.  

Good call staying put.I don't think I would launch from Cedar City in conditions pictured and I have Fiki TKS and a turbo.

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