Message-Id: <199901281814.MAA21632@mail.athenet.net>
Reply-To: <fkmarine@athenet.net>
From: "Daniel Schott" <fkmarine@athenet.net>
To: "LIST LANCAIR" <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: Fw: A TRUE STORY
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 12:07:25 -0600
Mime-Version: 1.0

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> From: Daniel Schott <fkmarine@athenet.net>
> To: Jaques Nauer <jacques.nauer@datazug.ch>
> Subject: Fw: A TRUE STORY
> Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 12:06 PM
> 
> 
> 
> ----------
> > From: Daniel Schott <fkmarine@athenet.net>
> > To: jim fay <jimfay@athenet.net>
> > Subject: A TRUE STORY
> > Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 12:05 PM
> > 
> > I thought I would tell all of you a "true" story.  On Tuesday, January
> 26,
> > 1999, Don Goetz and I were up test flying my new Lancair 4P.  We had
> about
> > 7.5 hours on the plane and engine -- everything was going great.  We
had
> > just done some touch and goes, and engine-out practice.  We decided to
> fly
> > south of Fond du Lac, WI at 5500 feet indicated (4500 feet above
ground).
> 
> > I was turning the plane a 180 degree turn back to Appleton when the oil
> > pressure alarms went on and the engine blew up (Continental TSO-550). 
> Don
> > immediately hit nearest on the Garmin 300XL G.P.S. and West Bend, WI
came
> > up at 110 degrees and 8 miles.  I immediately turned to 110 degrees and
> set
> > up glide at 120K speed.  We started looking for a road to land on, but
> the
> > traffic was very heavy and it didn't look good.  The plane was falling
> out
> > of the sky, and it looked dim for us.  Don finally said in his calm
way,
> > "let me take the controls", and I did.  From that time on, I tried to
> call
> > the field and called off numbers for Don.  He was very calm, but I
don't
> > remember how I was.  As we approached the field, we were lucky because
> the
> > runway was about 120 degrees and we could head straight in.
> > 
> > Well, as luck would have it, we were able to hold the plane up long
> enough
> > to clear the snow and put the gear down about 50' above the ground.  As
> we
> > were landing, we did not have 3 green landing lights.  The right gear
was
> > not down all the way yet.  I yelled to Don and he jerked the plane up
and
> > the right gear jerked into place as we came down.  We rolled to a stop
> with
> > smoke coming out of the engine and cabin.  I opened the door to let
smoke
> > out and hopped out "fast" to see if we had an engine fire.  Luckily we
> > didn't.  We opened the cowling and looked at the engine and saw a big
> hole
> > in the side of the block.
> > 
> > Don and I are both lucky to be alive and well, and I have Don Goetz to
> > thank for being a GREAT pilot.  I also want to thank Lance of Lancair
and
> > his people for designing a great airplane able to glide so well.  I
must
> > tell you that we could not feather the prop -- no oil pressure.
> > 
> > What is the moral of this story -- KEEP HIGH (especially landing), and
> > practice engine-out flying and know your nearest airport.
> > 
> > Also, thanks to Garmin and all the people who helped me build my plane.

> We
> > live to fly again.  Thank you.	
> > 
> > Daniel G. Schott
> > 	920-720-7080
> > 	E-Mail  fkmarine@athenet.net