Out of the clear blue sky

Brent Dowell

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
16,540
Location
Reno NV
http://www.mynews4.com/news/story/S...ruck-while-making/MP2i0hqPsUmiD4VlU61VXQ.cspx

This happened a couple miles from my house. I finally got my trip into town on the third try. Road was closed for about 4 hours today.

I've been driving with my eyes on the rear view mirror today.

I can't imagine just tooling down the highway, all clear in front, all clear in back, when all of a sudden a plane going twice your speed slams into you from behind out of nowhere.

It's amazing nobody got hurt.
 
Must have been a wild ride for the dog in the back. I read the plane burst into flames. Thankfully, no one got seriously hurt and it didn't set a fire in the desert (especially with our drought). Makes you think twice about maybe having up-view mirrors :huh:
 
Roads are dangerous places to land airplanes. Actually did that with a flight instructor on board on the then 2 lane Carefree Highway in Arizona in the middle '70's. We were to practice an engine out landing exercise. Problem was, the engine quit when he cut the throttle and really wouldn't restart. Only other party involved was a motorcycle rider who swerved off into the desert as I sailed directly overhead and touched down on the road in front of him. :eek:

Well, not counting the cops who showed up and the FAA guys we had to explain to. The diagnosis was vapor lock and after 3 hours of cooling off the engine, it restarted and with the deputies blocking the highway, we took off for the airport. They didn't close the highway for three hours (only for the time to take-off) but one deputy hung around and directed traffic past the airplane for the duration. He said this was one for the books as far as he was concerned. Life was simple then. :D
 
Yeh, I always got a little nervous when my engine quit over all the night lights of LA and I looked over at my instructor with a snicker on his face, asking me where I planned to land. Luckily we never had a Carol experience (well until I tell you about the Grand Canyon trip)

On the other hand, I always got a thrill doing engine stalls over the Pacific ocean. Nothing like heading straight down towards the water and hoping you get enough air speed to start the engine :eek:
 
Yikes, Sharon. Height over water is so deceiving. No depth perception at all. I remember para-sailing off the coast of Mazatlan. Felt like I could reach out a toe and dip it in the water and I was ~150 feet up. All my flying was over desert and mountains. No over water experience to speak of. Talk about a hobby that got too pricey to stay in!
 
Top