Cirrus Engine Failure at 1500 Feet

[@n539rv]

I’ve had 4 emergencies in 52 yrs of flying, fortunately was able to nurse the plane to an airport each time. Just as you describe, I found my mental awareness instantly became hyper focused, alert and decisive. It’s fascinating to experience how the brain works when flooded with adrenaline.

[@pfflying6275]

Love hearing that. I had a sample size of one. Now we've doubled that!!! Thanks for sharing.

[@easttexan2933]

Mike, unfortunately, so many don't become hyper focused, alert and decisive.

[@tropicthndr]

That’s 4 hundred percent reason to go turboprop or nothing, instead of lying to your family how safe piston aircraft are. Just look at the history of engine failures in Katherynreport on Cirrus vs Cessna, their an overpriced paint job of a joke., hence the idiotic requirement for the parachute.

[@DaveyCrockett001]

I've had various emergencies in 25k hours of flying, a lot of it sitting behind s.e. radials. I had lots of warning prior to any total engine failure. I have never had to look at a dead stick during a landing.

[@lyndonweaver2409]

@@tropicthndr Wow aren't you just a ray of sunshine ✨️ Thanks for sharing. I'm glad there's a few people around who understand airplanes and their power plants. What would we do without your insight. 👌🏽

[@douglastisdale7035]

I had an engine failure in February of this year. I had 82 total hours. Jut like you said, training kicked in and lucky for me and my wife, I had an airport 3.5 miles away. It was an uneventful landing. I credit my fantastic CFI's with pounding that training in my head!

[@pfflying6275]

Was yours the 1963 C-205?

[@douglastisdale7035]

@@pfflying6275 No, I'm not famous enough for a KZbin video..HaHa! Mine was a 172. Had contaminated fuel. Just like the books say, it was exactly one hour after fueling up. I landed in Rainsville GA. My wife's FIRST cross country flight. She's already a nervous flier but she did great. She sat there quietly and let me do what I needed to do.

[@m118lr]

@@douglastisdale7035 ..GREAT job!

[@cduemig1]

Nice work!

[@mattk8810]

Training didnt kick in for him. You pull the chute in acirrus

[@gawebm]

I've been a pilot for 30 years and an aircraft owner. I watched a hundred engine out videos. I'm a worrier and I believe it can, and will, happen to me. I practice engine out landings regularly. Still I have the fear of the real thing. IN all the videos and information I have studied, I never heard your perspective on this. The idea that all the training and practice I continue to do will allow my brain to act appropriately when it is necessary. It's a wonderfully positive thought that I will remember. And of course I will keep practicing and training for emergencies. Thank you for posting this. It really struck home to me.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for your comments. So many accidents are pilot error, I wonder if the engine out really isn't a likely scenario for you. But like you, I feared it and so adjust my flying process accordingly. For example, I won't fly the lake shore if the wind is blowing out of the west. I don't want the chute to take me out over the lake. I also don't like to fly too close to the ground. Altitude gives you time, distance and options. That worked against me on this flight. I do oil analysis, and watch my engine temps and pressures. All of these things help to move the odds in your favor. And ultimately that's all we can do. Keep practicing, but don't get wrapped around the axle with stress. Just like pilots love the journey as much as the destination, let your learning journey create the same excitement and enjoyment for you. Keep me appraised of your progress.

[@FallLineJP]

"You do not rise to the occasion. You fall back to your level of training." I forget where the quote is from, and it sounds a bit negative on the face of it. But if you really think about it, it's extremely actionable and empowering. Words to live by!

[@musicbycandlelightmbc3225]

@@FallLineJP Although frequently credited to an anonymous Navy Seal, (the altered quote likely is), this quote is originally attributed to the Greek lyrical poet, Archilochus. He is credited with being among the earliest Greek writer of iambic, elegiac, and personal lyric poetry.

[@FallLineJP]

@@musicbycandlelightmbc3225 Fascinating! Thanks for the history lesson :)

[@timketcham9139]

Chair flying is what saved my life in each emergency. Instant and correct control input especially at low altitude is critical.

[@NovejSpeed3]

I love how the big boys were talking with you. Aviation is an amazing community.

[@pfflying6275]

Funny, when I think about it, it brings some emotion to my eyes. I talked with another pilot who had a failure as well and he told me the same emotion came to him when he thinks about all the people that are rooting for you.

[@chucklemasters6433]

tell me who in the heck are these "big boys"? never had the priviledge of meeting one or didn't realize it if i did! was it the one who was worried about the correct N number or the one with the ridiculous advice about flying the plane to the ground? big boys apparently means idiots. i think they distracted him with totally worthless information which did nothing to help him survive. he would have been better off to have turned that paper weight to the oscar papa position immediately!

[@brentameszimmerhanzel2468]

I love how another pilot on frequency reminded you to fly the airplane to the ground and how aviation is such a close community. Good job on this emergency and this video.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you. I often remind people that the word community is made up of two root words.. COMMON UNITY. Our common unity is a passion and love for aviation. All of the communication from the airline pilots that day was very much appreciated and makes me a bit emotional when I think about it.

[@chucklemasters6433]

i thought every single bit of radio interaction was distracting, annoying and dangerous. who on earth would worry about him using the correct N number, and if he needs somebody to tell him not to kill himself by not flying the plane then no advice in the world is going to help anyway! but then he asked for all that nonsense when he "did what he was told" and used that stupid worthless radio didn't he? how many CFI's who tell you how important the radio is have ever been in an actual aircraft emergency landing? clue, almost none! I've been around aviation for 50 years and close to 30,000 hours of flight time and that is why i would advise you to take what many of these self appointed "experts" tell you with a grain of salt. many of them have a fraction of the experience and knowledge of your average private pilot and none of their common sense! i am one myself and have flown with many of their students and had to finish the job that many of them didn't do. when you take on an instrument student who can't taxi and airplane properly for example, you realize the lack of quality of much training out there!

[@ericsd55]

Excellent flying, excellent video! TRAINING TRAINING TRAINING!! I'm a 30 year pilot, 23 year 121 driver, CRM/TEM instructor. I cannot give you enough hi 5's. I certainly appreciate your vulnerability, candor, and professionalism. Nice work my friend. Thank you for putting the time and energy into making this video. I hope it empowers everyone watching to put the same effort into their airmanship as have you. E

[@nealhere]

Brilliant. I am a cfi and am taking this to tell me to give my students even more practice in this area. Mix, pump, tank switch. Mags. Air source (carb heat ). Thanks for putting yourself out there for us. All the best neal sw fla

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks.... to you as well.

[@TeachAManToAngle]

Glad you are safe and appreciate the time it took to share your experience.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you for taking the time to pass along your comments. I just hope the video makes pilots realize how much each of us can do to prepare for emergencies. The human brain is amazing and we are empowered to make it work to our benefit. Blue Skies to you.

[@WiredForFlight]

Thrilled to hear you are all right and here to fly another day. I have added this video to my CFI Training list to share with students. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@pfflying6275]

Hey Sam. I'm glad too! If you ever want me to talk to any of your students, I'm happy to do so. Keep having fun.

[@furtjager117]

Great work!! I command the NW Ohio Civil Air Patrol and got a notice of your distress call from one of my lieutenants. I alerted my team and we tracked your ADSB data to that field while we got to our HQ/hangar. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard you were un-injured. Fantastic after action report, looking forward to hearing about the engine!

[@pfflying6275]

I've been asked to hold off on the results of the engine analysis. We know what happened.

[@daverohn383]

I'm a new pilot and I watch as many of these videos as I can get my hands on to see what can go wrong and how the situations were successfully handled. I appreciate all the time people put into making these videos just so that others lives can be spared, should they be exposed to the same scenarios. Keep the blue side up!

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you Dave. I have a relative who used to think it was morbid that pilots always look into accident stories, but now realizes that our community (our common unity) is that we love what we do and always try to learn from other's experiences, good or bad. You're off to a good start. Study, train, practice will lead to proficiency and confidence. It's amazing how well that works. Blue Skies and Tailwinds

[@OneTequilaTwoTequila]

Thank you for your excellent job treating an emergency situation properly and not just pulling the chute. I hate it when Cirrus pilots have a manageable problem and just use their chute as a crutch to avoid having to deal with their problem. They belly-flop into a residential area, risking the lives of others, and damage their airplane, which causes insurance rates to go up for all of us. Meanwhile, there's a field or barren stretch of highway half a mile away. The true test of your composure in an emergency will only come when you have that emergency. I've had about 10 in over 22,000 hours of flying. I wouldn't change a thing on any of them. You remained calm and did what you were trained to do. Well done. Not everybody is like that. On two of my emergencies, my first officer froze in fear and shut down. I had to secure the engine myself and talk her down afterward to get her to take over the radio. You talked about the brain being wonderful by shutting off hearing the "pull up" calls to focus on the important things. That's not exactly a good thing - but it is something that affects all humans at a point of task saturation. Nobody is completely immune to it. The hearing is the first thing to go in a stressful situation. In some cases what you are not hearing (not in your case) IS the priority. Consider the Eastern Air Lines 401 crash in the Everglades. All four pilots were pre-occupied with a burned-out landing gear indication light, and not one of them heard the autopilot disconnect, the altitude warnings, or ATC trying to call them to check their altitude. 101 people died on that flight. The important take on that is to be aware of that Human Factor and try to avoid falling into its trap. Nicely done, sir! You should be proud of your accomplishment. Textbook prioritization example!

[@cb1p111]

Always chose BROWN over GREEN. Perfectly done here. As a glider pilot "out landing" is quite normal. No need to get scared. Just land at the lower or lowest end of the speed range! And keep the front wheel up... As long as possible

[@bwyseymail]

I've heard from Dan that corn is green.

[@VictoryAviation]

@@bwyseymail 😂

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

Why brown over green?

[@Starfish2145]

@@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403 dirt vs plants or trees 😉

[@johnmohanmusic]

Thank you. Yours is the BEST aviation training video I have ever watched (and I have watched many). Your message confirms, in time of crisis we do not rise to the occasion. We revert to the level of our training. Again, thank you.

[@pfflying6275]

Very kind of you to write and thank you for the compliment. I have slowed down on videos, because I want them to be of value and not just showing a trip. You've motivated me to get back on track. THANKS.

[@davidrubaloff5725]

Similar experience engine out 1500 ft. Over lake out of Pomona. Tried to restart twice. Fortunately, the engine restarted. I fire walled and traded as much altitude for airspeed as I could and simultaneously headed back to the airport. Turned out it was fuel contamination.

[@RobMiller]

Took a lot of courage to make this video. Thank you for the great advice and candor. I’m so glad you are okay!

[@pfflying6275]

Sometimes I just have to get something off my chest. I love that our pilot community welcomes the sharing as long as I don't mind hearing what people think. ;-) Thanks for your comments.

[@aero3085]

You really put together a great video here. Showing the lesson with a CFI going through engine out emergency in the same airplane you had the emergency in was brilliant. Most GA pilots fly 50+ yr old, one engine airplanes. I feel the most important thing for GA pilots is to is keep a vow that you will never be afraid to make an off airport landing, and this landing will be the best landing you will ever make. When I fly my 1972 Cessna 182 I always know the winds (smoke from stacks etc are great indicators), and I'm always looking for the closest airports and open fields.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks Aero. I always say we have to replace fear with respect. Fear results in reactive and impulsive decisions. Respect makes it more of a planned and proactive action. To get there, it's all about study, training, and practice. That leads to confidence, which leads to being a better pilot. Love that you stay on top of your situational awareness. That translates to confidence and good outcomes too. Continued success to you. Blue Skies!!!

[@austincamsmith]

Excellent handling of this emergency. Glad you are still in the land of the living. I've had one emergency in my time - a night electrical failure when I was a low time pilot. I experienced the same feelings: extremely heightened awareness and decisive decision-making. I'm somewhat ashamed to say, I've never felt more alive. Training and proficiency are everything. Keep up the good work.

[@pfflying6275]

Interesting comment. Never thought of it that way. Thanks for your comments.

[@mrvoyagerm]

Back when I was a student pilot on my first cross country I reached the Set heading point and went through the set heading checklist which starts with pulling the carb heat on. I did that and the engine quit. Well instantly one of my Dads many and hard earned aviation anecdotes came jumping out at me. He used to say "if you move a lever or switch a switch and bad things start happening - move it back to where you found it" . So as I was reaching for the mic button this hit me and I simply pushed the carb heat back off and voila, the engine came back to life. The training school changed the carb the next day.

[@bobnashnash7965]

How right you are, I had an engine failure a few weeks ago and I didn’t panic it was all automatic. Made a safe landing back at the airport I had departed.

[@skydawg98]

GREAT JOB! I find my time as a sailplane pilot really helps with outlandings. You are always looking for a place to land and learn what kind of fields are best. When you run out of lift it's time to pick a field!

[@kurtkesters6043]

well done. As a Glider pilot of airfield landing as somewhat more common, and our aircraft are defiantly more suited for them, but even then, it is always a challenge

[@TheAppleKid2011]

As a new pilot I absolutely appreciate your positive attitude on this. Entering into every new experience with an open mind and appreciating just how important good preparation like this is in critical situations. It’s something that’s always expected in aviation but seldom explained as well as you put it. Thank you for keeping us safe.

[@pfflying6275]

Very nice note. Thank you. I'm glad you found value in the video. Congrats on joining the ranks of being a pilot. So few people have done what you have. Too bad. They don't know what they are missing. 😉. Blue Skies and Tailwinds.

[@cr125r847]

I lost power last August at around 800' AGL shortly after takeoff. I ended up gliding under power lines and landing in a field of standing corn which made for a firm but fairly soft landing. Your mention about not being scared is the same thing I felt. I don't remember a bit of fear, just 100% concentration on what I was going to do next and how to get back on the ground safely. I later found one of the throttle cables broke which explained why the engine idled fine but would not produce any power. This event made me realize how one small failure can turn into an emergency at the worst time possible. Practice engine out landings often. Some day it might be for real.

[@pfflying6275]

I continue to hear from people that share the same experience you and I went through. It's a good message to share. Study, Train, Practice. It will help you when you need it. Thanks for the comment.

[@kenross812]

I heard this somewhere recently...."In an emergency, you don't rise to the challenge, you sink to your training". We've all trained for off airport landings, and we all hope we don't have to remember our training.

[@brentflora8965]

What a great lesson for ALL of you pilot's & wannabes! So profound in explaining how to be PRO-actionary & not RE-actionary to a MAYDAY situation!

[@afdchocolatemilk2107]

I'm a new pilot who is fortunate enough to own a plane and when I am flying with my wife she asks why are you always looking at the ground, and I say I am looking for place to land and she gets worried. I then let her know that I was trained to always look for your engine out landing area. Great job on your emergency landing!!

[@pfflying6275]

Sometimes you have to not answer some questions from your flying companion, and other times you have to make sure you word it right. Help them to understand how we are always thinking about safety and safe outcomes. There's a bit of an art to it. Thanks for the comment.

[@natal777]

The beauty of small single engine airplanes they glide pretty good ! Glad you landed safely ! Good Job

[@crammydavisjr5813]

This is a great narrative and recap. Thanks for doing this, and more than anything, I’m glad you’re safe! Great job!

[@nickpapagiorgio5056]

Fantastic video! I don’t think anyone could have explained that type of situation better and I am so happy you landed safely! I will def take some things I learned from your video which Ik will make me a better pilot but furthermore much more efficient with critical thinking. Thanks for this video!

[@av8tore71]

This just shows at the beginning of the video that he must have been broadcasting on 121.5 and others were listening. We all while flying are one and we all look out for each other. That's awesome.....no air rage!!

[@ProPilotPete]

Thought you recently overhauled it. Would love a follow up as to what happened with the engine, I know your diligent about maintenance. Good job keeping your cool and doing ad trained.

[@pfflying6275]

Just waiting for some key approvals to let everyone know what the analysis showed. Stay tuned.

[@pfflying6275]

Not sure if you saw the video, but here was the reason for the engine failulre. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIaQdaJorJ6brNE

[@MrThuggery]

Great to hear all the genuine congratulatory call outs from your brethren!

[@pfflying6275]

A real special aspect of this was the community of pilots reaching out. It’s humbling.

[@CarlMims]

This is a very well-done explanation of what you need to know. Obviously, inspections and AD compliance need to be taken very seriously and not just a get-her-done attitude. I had previously seen you on a "Then Finer Points" episode and was already impressed with your reaction and skills. Having never lost an engine I can not imagine how the surprise element grabs you.

[@pfflying6275]

Regarding the surprise element, I'm just glad I didn't have to change my underwear. Seriously, I was surprised that panic did not rear its ugly head. My first reaction was one of disbelief. THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING, But then my brain just told me to get to work. We all have that capability. It's comforting to know. But we are all accountable to study, train, and practice so the brain has the necessary information to drive our action.

[@rexnoobs247]

Great job! As we said in the Marine Corps - Prior Planning (or Preparation) Prevents Piss-Poor Performance - the Six P's. I try to apply that to my flying as well.

[@pfflying6275]

I love that. Now if I could only memorize that.

[@dondonzi2627]

Its the 6-P’s

[@rexnoobs247]

@@dondonzi2627 Correction noted and edited. I promise I can count lol

[@desertpoj]

An outstanding video. I teach military pilots in a small Grob 120 TP turboprop, flying with parachutes but no ejection seats, and I might just show your video on our next ‘Flight Safety Friday.’ We have loads of mnemonics to deal with such situations; but you basically covered them all seamlessly. As a professional pilot with 40 years experience I would have been proud to have handled the situation half as well as you did. Thank you for sharing this.

[@steveandbeth]

Wonderful video with lots of great points! One of my favorite things about the aviation community is everyone's willingness to share their experience and eagerness to learn from others' experiences! - Beth

[@pfflying6275]

If you think of the word Community, you'll see that its made up of two root words.... COMMON UNITY. We all come together around the notion of a passion for aviation. It's our common unity. And in that we learn and share with each other. It truly is special and worthy of celebration!!!

[@michaeldalpiaz540]

Great! Thank you for sharing. I am a low time pilot and as I am usually flying in mountain areas I am always focused on "where to go in case". This gives me confidence.

[@pfflying6275]

I am involved with a flying club in Chicago. We have decided to organize a discussion about what to do if we lose an engine on takeoff. Not everyone has a chute and if you're below 500 feet on a G3 or below 600 feet on a G5/6, the chute isn't really an option anyway. We're in a heavily populated area about 8NM Northeast of KORD. Not a lot of options, but worthy of discussion. I have limited experience in terrain that you deal with. Your thought process sounds like a good one. Train, Practice, Study.

[@flexluthor1]

Thank you, this video reassured me that those doubts that have crept into my mind from time to time are just fear of the unknown. Nothing more, nothing less. A strong mind and training will always prevail.

[@pfflying6275]

Glad you figured it out. It's not a 100% guarantee, but it's the ultimate risk mitigator. Becoming an appropriately confident pilot, through proficiency, which of course comes from study, knowledge, training, and practice, will help eliminate emergencies, and if they do occur, puts you in the best possible position for success. It was a really reassuring learning for me. Enjoy the ride. Blue Skies.

Thank you for your great commentary! I guess we have all learned much from this video! Thank you for posting! Wish you a great day! Many happy landings! 😊

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you.

[@82hawkerpilot]

A lot of firsts that day, the best of it is that you came out of the emergency unharmed and with the high spirits that come out of a job well done. Congrats .

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks. The fallout implications of insurance making it difficult even though it was maintenance induced and I gave them the best possible outcome have been rather frustrating, but I am most happy to be here to complain about it!!! 😀

[@sierraharrop2827]

This is why we train! Great job, Marc (and CFI Bob)!

[@pfflying6275]

Yep, and we hope we never need it. ;-) Thanks for the comment.

[@jscomputerservicesanpcpart5772]

As a trainee pilot I would to thank you for this video and your thoughts and experience in this area. It has given me a new perspective and way of thinking about this. Especially as my cfi has said my lesson will be on stalls, lol.. I’m glad I watched this. Thank you

[@pfflying6275]

You're welcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have you earned your ticket yet?

[@jscomputerservicesanpcpart5772]

@@pfflying6275 not yet. Im about 5 hrs away from my first solo flight. So its getting exciting. I bought myself a small plane to further my training in too. A little Jabiru ST3. Cant wait to fly it. Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄

[@johnwallace6701]

I love how you were calm and prepared for this accident. You handled this like a true professional. Also Glad you flew it all the way to the ground, as stated by ATC. Great job! You saved the airplane too, no chute deployment, how great. You took advantage of your terrain.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you John. It kind of surprised me, as I said in the video. I was so glad I didn't panic and that's what gives me hope for all pilots. That if we study, train, and practice, we put ourselves in the best position to be successful. Also was lucky to be around a bunch of fields. By the way, the guy that told me to fly it to the ground was an airline pilot. Most of those commenting were. I love our aviation community. Thanks for the comments.

[@johnwallace6701]

@@pfflying6275 I think it was good that you communicated all the way down. That gave you the reassurance and confidence to land safely. This is such a cool story, I need to spread this around because you did fly it all the way to the ground! Recently a Cirrus owner in the pattern on downwind deployed the chute. He ruined his airplane. At pattern altitude I am sure he could have made it to the runway. While he may not have had the experience and composure you had, and you really can't judge, except that it seems that Cirrus pilots, and yes I am judging rely on the chute instead of what you did! I am an airline pilot myself and have had several instances over the years to help others. My best was vectoring a guy around some weather at night with our first generation ADS-B. They have since taken that away from us, which is a shame! My iPad in the little planes gives me an overall better weather picture than my radar in the big airplane. Keep up the good work!

[@timhardman4764]

Great Job. Happy to hear this had a happy ending. In this particular situation, I think that scenario review in your head 30 minutes prior to the engine failure helped you as much if not more than the review with the CFI 6 months earlier since all the engine restart procedures were irrelevant and you realized that quickly. What you needed to do immediately was what you had just mentally rehearsed 30 minutes ago with the same terrain for landing....farmer's field, parallel to plowing rows. Again, great job getting down safely along with the good fortune of pretty firm dirt so you didn't sink in and nose over.

[@accousticdecay]

I have never seen an engine look like a grenade went off inside the case until now. Thankful for your safe landing.

[@walterantos8356]

Thanks for sharing your story! My home airport is KDKB - DeKalb. I certainly will be scheduling some time with an instructor. Especially since “life” pulls you away from flying.

[@pfflying6275]

My partner in the plane gets gas at KDKB. Hopefully, you'll see it there in the near future.

[@scottcol23]

great job! Very lucky that the field was harvested and hard packed with no ruts. Thank you for making this video. I would love a Cirrus some day. I currently share a 182 Skylane with a friend who is also a CFI.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for the comments. Where are you based. Happy to take you for a ride if you are in the Chicago area or happen to be in an area that I fly to in the Midwest. As for the field, it was pre-season (April) so nothing planted yet. One of the benefits of the Midwest is lots of fields. I was extremely lucky this was right there and my brain told me to go there. Blue Skies.

[@cloudstreets1396]

That’s funny, I heard this mayday call on guard that day flying into CMH. I was working that day. Now here it is on KZbin. Nicely done, sir.

[@heliking707]

Just saw this video but truly great advise for all pilots. Thanks for taking the time to share this.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated and glad you found value in the video.

[@RaysDad]

Nice job! My emergency landing checklist includes turning the fuel selector to "off" and turning off the master switch just before touchdown. These are fire prevention measures. Also, since SR planes are fixed-gear I would use your soft field landing procedure. Landing on the mains only and keeping the nose wheel off the ground as long as possible reduces the chance of cartwheeling.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for the comment. Everything happened so quick, I shut off the fuel and master after I was on the ground. Better late than never. I was so focused on executing a soft field landing the other items took a back seat. The brain did what it could. ;-)

[@coonagh1]

Thanks for expertly sharing your experience. Also, job well done Captain. My hat is off to you.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks.

[@kaushikccu]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Very valuable information, and a great, real-life reminder of why these types of skills (my CFI calls them "perishable skills") are SO important to keep drilling on. Great narration too! Congratulations on handling this emergency so well.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you. I love doing it and like all pilots, we love to learn from each other. Every day, every flight.

[@theav8rs45]

Well done - Awesome instructional video...Blue Skies and Tailwinds!

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you. I have learned so much from so many pilots. It's what our special community does. It's all about sharing and getting better.

[@TALK-0THECONURE]

Was just at Mansfield today, plenty of places to land out there. Glad you made it out safe and chose to share. Great for new pilots like me (60 hours) cheers.

[@brentsummers7377]

Excellent job on the landing! I'd also say that learning to fly from an airport surrounded by farmland & lots of fields, is a lot nicer experience than flying over lots of water and hills!

[@chadpm11]

great job landing, would be cool to see some of the eng photos showing the failure and damage as well.

[@pfflying6275]

Stay tuned. Coming soon.

[@j.w.perkins6004]

I celebrated 50 years of private/military/commercial aviation last year.. I've had a plethora of engine failures and emergencies (never dead sticking in but a couple of zero thrust) but the one thing that has come back to me is training, training, and more training! (I guess that's three) It becomes mental muscle training. If you train correctly, it comes automatically when things go sh*t-house. Your brain autoshifted into that training mode. Never forget the aviation tenet, aviate, navigate, communicate as the basis of every emergency. Congrats on your decision process!! Well done...just like you trained.....as it should be!

[@backcountyrpilot]

In 26 years of Motocross racing, I often noted how things slowed down once I accepted the reality that a crash was inevitable. A calm focus allows time to position the bike and body to minimize damage. I remember thinking clearly, “Here’s the part that’s gunna hurt”🤕

[@locustvalleystring]

Great job. Thank you for sharing. Your story benefits many. I never heard the 3-2-1 rule....useful. Happy flying.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for reaching out. Bop (CFI) is loaded with great things like 1-2-3. Blue Skies.

[@streeterclow1898]

I own a hangar at Mansfield drove up to the site shortly after this incident. You did an awesome job! That field could not have been more perfect. With our rains the week before your incident I was worried everything would be soft. I had an engine failure in 2014 at 80 hours total time and had a very similar landing. Great job flying the plane!!!

[@jakewheat6552]

What a great lesson here. Thanks for sharing your experience. Need to go up with my CFI for some proficiency.

[@toplabels]

The way you handled the emergency is nothing short of amazing. when you were stating that fear never set in I can relate as if it were yesterday. Back then when i first started flying it was in Ultra Lights. Back in the day Rotax engines were not that great. Spark plugs only lasted a short 15 hours if I remember correctly. With that said they could fail more often or at least its what happened to me not once, but three times not in flight at altitude but taking off. I was young yes, but fear was never a factor and landing options the three times were not ideal. In any case I did exactly as you said revert back to my most informal training and flew the airplane al the way to the ground without any harm to me or the airplane. It does amaze me that in that moment which was very short (no altitude) i handled myself as if I was on autopilot. Just doing what i needed to do as if it was as normal as walking. Now got to admit that once I was safe on the ground and got out of the plane I did fell a bit nervous to say the least but GLAD I was alright and yes the airplane was in one piece. Not that I enjoyed the experience but it gave me a sense of accomplishment in myself knowing that when I was called to handle the emergency I did it calmly and executed everything as I should have. So your story has brought a lot of memories and I thank you for sharing your experience.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for your comments. I am convinced my experience can be the same for all, in that if we give the brain enough data and practice these type of emergencies, the brain will be the best guide we could ask for. Thanks for sharing and congrats to you.

[@AdabAbu]

Good job man! So happy you’re ok

[@patm95]

Congrats. Thanks for sharing. You were amazingly calm.

[@Juhujalp]

"[The brain] was just being perfect at bringing up data that I provided it earlier." This is the key reason to train! I fly from an airport with very few off-airport landing opportunities and rising terrain on departure. My departure briefing always includes the 5 different small fields that I will try to make and in which order they will be available during the departure. And while departing I will actively call out the fields in my head to make sure I am ready. I hope I will never need this knowledge, but if I ever do, I have it. Also: Wonderful piloting job there! There is not really anything to improve.

[@theflyingfool]

Where I fly from there are only small fields, but it is rural so no worries about urban landing nightmares. Your little five field departure briefing has however struck a chord with me and I will be examining my local area for the best fields when leaving or arriving at our locale. There is so much we can learn from each other and this was one of those little gems! Thanks!

[@Juhujalp]

@@theflyingfool I recently added the "I want to be x speed at x point" to my takeoff briefing. Also something I picked up from fellow pilots. I am happy my comment helped someone! Happy landings!

[@Tryagain205]

Might help to go for a ride in a glider and learn from that perspective as well?

[@randybranson1009]

Good Job handling a real engine out; and good job with your video! I fly an Ercoupe, my checklist for engine out is simple, check power, check mags, land. I love complex airplanes but thankfully, the 'Coupe is so simple. I, like you am always looking for someplace to put my 77-year-old craft down.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you. I've never flown an Ercoupe, but familiar from afar. In the end, we have an engine, wings, and controls. Whether it's an Ercoupe or a 777, we're all members of the same community. Thanks for watching and commenting. Blue Skies.

[@shakey2634]

So…. How did you recover the airplane and let us know what happened to the engine when you get it torn down. Great job.

[@JustSayN2O]

Agree, there needs to be a follow up video, like Edward Frye (search for his channel)

[@pfflying6275]

Putting together a follow up. Stay tuned.

[@davidpsalt]

@@pfflying6275 Looking forward to the cause of the engine out, what damage the landing caused - oil on the landing gear suggests a broken brake line maybe? and how did you get your aircraft out of that field?!! Great stuff and thanks for doing this video!

[@MajorRuralRealty-NEColorado]

This is a fantastic review of emergency procedures, thanks very much.

[@pfflying6275]

You're welcome. Glad you found it of value.

[@kCI251]

My first off "airport" landing was during primary flight instruction. The CFI simulated an engine out near a grass strip airport. We did a full landing on the grass strip which was not at all like a paved runway but my confidence grew greatly knowing I could safely land off pavement.

[@ronaldglider]

Fantastic video - learnt a valuable lesson: we need to keep building/conditioning muscle-memory. I will do more checkflights from here on! (I had two unplanned outlandings with a glider in fields in the past 4 years - In the Swiss alps this is not so simple)

[@randypetit1290]

Great job on handling the situation. Enjoyed the learning experience, great video and very good advice mixed in. Appreciate you sharing.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you, Randy. Appreciate you taking the time to write.

[@grumman38]

Great job on the mayday call concise but included everything needed. Location, etc.

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you.

[@jrholand]

nice video, thanks for sharing your experience and insight. Some good wisdom! I am a Cirrus pilot as well, 800+ hour in G1/G2/G3 SR20/SR22/SR22T

[@pfflying6275]

Some great experience there. Thanks for commenting. I'd be interested in picking up some of your good wisdom.

[@bradpetersen92126]

My Dad worked for Piper most of his life, even as the manufacturing plant tour guide well into his eighties. In 1962, he took the position of being Piper’s first International Service Manager, and our family moved to Geneva, Switzerland for the next four years. During those four years (I was 6-10 years old) and being Dad’s sidekick, went on so many business trips with him all over Europe, and occupied the right seat in various Piper aircraft, often handed the controls to include mostly controlling the Cherokee on a take-off and a landing. I remember a situation when there was an engine failure, and we landed in a field very similar to your ordeal. I just thought it was cool, and just another fun thing we got to do. Was no excitement, no sense of an emergency, just something new, and kinda cool. Later in life, I realized how cool my Dad was under pressure, and admired that a lot. He had single engine, multi-engine, airframe and mechanical certifications, instrument ratings, and am sure others. I do remember him telling someone that it had been his only engine failure experienced. Thanks for sharing and nudging some old memories back fresh again...

[@pfflying6275]

I flew Pipers in the 70's when I was earning my license in Iowa City. I have a decent number of hours in Piper equipment, spread across 140's, Warriors, Archers, Arrows, Saratoga's, and even a couple hour in a Comanche, and a Navajo.

[@skyjakeX]

Thanks for walking us through everything and nice job. I had a few emergencies in my lifetime but all were in turbine equipment and not too scary.

[@pfflying6275]

Still sounds scary.

[@TheJayMoses]

Fantastic job. Great video. Wonderful message. Thank you.

[@pfflying6275]

You're welcome. Thank you for taking the time to provide your comments. Blue Skies.

[@ozjohnno]

Great video, great advice, well done on a great result.

[@bcfreedomfighterbcff167]

Good work man.... Starting my PPL in a cirrus tomorrow. Hopefully my eventual training will prepare me for any issues that ever arise.

[@pfflying6275]

Everything you learn has the potential to help. From instructors, from discussions like this, from watching and learning from others. And the rest is up to us as Pilots. We can’t guarantee perfect results, but we can start to shift the odds in a more positive direction. All the best to you. You’re going to love it.

[@bcfreedomfighterbcff167]

@@pfflying6275 It was a very good time. Near 3 hours of flight time in a G3 and G6 SR20. All still very overwhelming at present. Will keep at it, and continue learning everything I can.

[@crooked-halo]

What a wonderful video! Putting emergency items in an easy to recall action, 3 - 2 - 1. Love it and won't forget this! For #3 in a Cessna I need _one_ different item as there's no fuel pump. So, for 3 I've got mixture, fuel, and? Check fuel quantity indicator? Move fuel switch from both to 1 then 2 then back to both? Push/check throttle? Something else? You didn't talk about the parachute decision. I shouldn't use CAPS if I can reasonably land, right? Maybe my gear will collapse on a rough field, perhaps I'll bend the prop necessitating an engine inspection, but if I use CAPS the parachute _will_ destroy the fuselage & total a Cirrus, correct? The CAPS is for more dire circumstances like over big water, low IMC, over high/dense population, airframe damage, a non-pilot can pull it for pilot incapacitation. If I can reasonably land my Cirrus, I'm avoiding the parachute. Is this reasonable? I haven't driven a Cirrus yet.

[@pfflying6275]

Thanks for your comments. The 3-2-1 is great, but the most important part of that is to think fuel, spark, and air. You can translate that to your plane. As far as the chute decision, I sort of talked about it. Just not very good at it. ;-) What I learned is that in an emergency, at least this emergency, I didn't make any decisions. My brain told me what to do based on the studying, training, and practice I had done. If I hadn't seen the perfect field there, I hope I would've been smart enough to pull the chute. Even pulling the chute in this case, would've been a good choice. But because I had that engine out training 5 months before, and even practiced it 30 minutes prior to my engine failure, my brain was programmed to respond as it did. I will never question how a pilot reacts in an emergency, as I now know, the brain will give it what you gave it (so study, train, and practice), and you won't be making a well thought out decision. I loved what I learned about the brain. The plane might have been totaled, but that's OK. The focus is on staying alive and doing the same for those around you. The plane's damage is secondary.

[@cessna177flyer3]

Nice job. I enjoyed the video and incorporate many of the techniques you mentioned to mitigate the risk of engine failure in cruise. I’ve had several engine failures in multi-engine jets, but I hope I never have one in my Cardinal.

[@Kickinpony66]

Yessir, you had a Catastrophic Engine Failure! You also picked the very best field to land in; well packed/not freshly plowed.

[@chucklemasters6433]

good job mark on not making this worse than it already was. i am curious about your use of the radio. the reason i ask is because i've had 3 engine failures with students in their airplanes. the reason i never even remembered i had any radio is because i was below 100 feet on no 1, below 200 feet on no 2, and about 300 feet on the last one. i may have had time to think about the radio on no 3 but still didn't because i still can't think of even one way that using the radio would have helped me in those situations. your experience is one i have not had so i don't know how i would react at a higher altitude. most of my flying now is daytime VFR on training flights so i never even think about it in those situations. i stopped worrying about that somewhere between 500 and 700 hours while training for the CFI with an old navy pilot. he was the best CFI i ever flew with and somehow he gave me the confidence to stop worrying about those things while flying day VFR over flat open terrain and i still can't put my finger on what he did to give me that confidence. now add night time, open water or weather and i start to hear things coming from that piston engine that make me nervous right away. give me a turbine or better yet 2 turbine engines and those fears start to go away. anyway i'm just curious about how you think the radios helped you to be successful in this emergency. i don't know who it was but what really struck me was someone was even worried about having the correct N number and i'm positive that was not important. there was another time when a student pulled the mixture on me in my C150 while he was pointing at some geese to distract me, they were a little higher and to the left and when i looked back to the front the mixture at idle cutoff was the first thing i saw. we were at about 800' AGL when he did this with reduced power in a descent so i had no clue other than the mixture pulled out to idle cutoff. i started pushing the power lever forward and nothing happened. after passing about 300' i saw the prop still spinning and wondered why it wouldn't start and suddenly i realized i was probably flooding it with fuel. as soon as i pulled the throttle to idle it fired right up at about 200 AGL and i flew it back to the airport. i still believe that worrying about radios and frequencies would have been a total waste of valuable time in those 4 situations. i did have smoke in the cockpit of a C90 king air at flight level 210 and used the radio but i was IFR of course and already on frequency with seattle center. i just told them i needed an emergency descent and wanted to land at PSC which was straight ahead about 25 miles. congratulations again on keeping your wits about you and i appreciate any feedback you might give on the radio usage at a little higher altitude and a little more time for radio calls.

[@pfflying6275]

Chuck, thanks for your comment and question. My biggest takeaway from the incident was learning how the brain took over. I don't recall making any decisions, but rather executed everything I was taught in the order it was taught to me. If you saw the part of the video in which my CFI took me through the emergency procedures some 5 months earlier, my actions on that April morning were the exact same. Pitch for best glide, find a landing spot, try to restart and then make the Mayday call. If I was in a more remote area, it may have had more value to help me being found, especially if I were incapable of making any calls for help once I was on the ground. If nothing else, it was an announcement of approximately where I was and what I was dealing with. If I there hadn't been any time to make the call, I assume I wouldn't have done it. Again, I don't remember thinking what should I do and in what order..... it just happened and when I had done everything but land the plane, my finger selected 121.5 and then pressed the PTT and said what you heard on the video. Kind of cool when you think of it.

[@chucklemasters6433]

@@pfflying6275 then i still don't know of any VFR emergencies where using the radio will help unless you are already on frequency with ATC. nothing as distracting and worhtless as a radio are as important as choosing the safest place to put it down and executing a flawless approach and landing. if you can walk away unharmed you still don't need a radio, who doesn't have a cell phone nowdays?

[@u44118380]

Fantastic video. Thanks for sharing and teaching us all something with this experience.

[@detroit313vlogs7]

Thanks for this vid. Much appreciated. Glad your good 👍🏻

[@flymoyer3802]

I was flying a jet on the east coast the same day and heard this on 121.5. I was wondering what happened and am so glad you put this on Utube.

[@pfflying6275]

I heard more than one person say they heard it on the East coast. That is amazing to me.

[@fsj197811]

Well done, thanks for sharing!

[@chas3304]

wow, I had the same experience! first was a mag going bad, landed on a four lane highway. second one was a starter stuck and smoke in the cabin. no radio, flew by tower with wings dipping, last one I was flying home and ten miles out engine went rough and lost power. Landed at a military base, that was an experience!! Three times and never had a mishap since. 2, 300 hrs. in a 172.

[@pfflying6275]

Wow. Lots of experience that others will never have. Thanks for sharing.

[@tekman196]

I have never flown in a small single engine airplane but Sir I would fly with you in your airplane any day ! Outstanding job .

[@pfflying6275]

Wow. Quite a compliment. Thank you. What part of the world do you live?

[@tomgredell7640]

Great stuff, Marc - one word stuck out to me - "hyperfocused." But I think the most important thing is your preparation for the event. Knowing your airplane REALLY well and having run simulations (even if only in your head) enabled your "good" brain to take over. I hope that never happens to you again!

[@pfflying6275]

I hope it doesn't happen again as well. ;-) It's not just about airplanes. This is probably a good life lesson as well. Thanks for contributing.

[@jonclassical2024]

WOW, so happy you were over some great countryside....nice job, remain calm, fly it to the ground.....thanks for sharing!

[@rhiwink]

EXCELLENT situational process! Many Thanks!

[@pfflying6275]

You're welcome and thanks for saying so.

[@achimbassler]

Great flying! Thank you for sharing.

[@pfflying6275]

And thanks to you for the nice comment.

[@bluebirdn3730]

I was a driving instructor some years ago, and though not required for test I always taught my students about cadence braking on top of the regular emergency stop we teach here in the uk. I would tell them, when you have past and have your full licence, practice these emergency braking techniques and also go out in the snow and ice where it’s safe and practice, because one day you will need it. So about 2 years later I bumped( pun intended) into this lad I had taught. He said do you remember you told me to go practice cadence braking,well I did, then one day six months ago, at speed I had to do it for real, and I handled it and we were all safe. So I just like you said, when the time comes, our brain is loaded to take action, and goes into auto-pilot(that’s what that lad said to me..ha ha). I’m starting my ppl soon and I really appreciate this knowledge you share. Thankyou!!!

[@pfflying6275]

Interesting. Thanks for the comment.

[@joblessalex]

Engine out, fire, airframe failure, control failure. Super worried about all of those. Engine out the least though since you'll most likely survive it.

[@dfalken1]

I had an experience where I mistakenly left my engine switch on B instead of going back to AB. I was taking off in a piper Cherokee from a 3000 foot uncontrolled field in New Jersey at night. I didn't notice anything strange on take off run, but the second my tires left the tarmac the stall warning horn started to go off. My brain went into auto mode just like you said. I immediately trimmed for best climb and I could see the dark contours of the trees at the end of the runway rapidly approaching. At that point I truly didn't know if I was going to clear them but my focus remained on best climb speed as I didn't have time for much else. I flew over the trees and breathed a sigh of relief. I continued to aviate and gain altitude however slowly. When I reached about 800 feet I decided to make a very shallow turn back towards the field so I would have a place to land if the engine failed completely. Then I automatically went into power failure checklist mode and a few seconds later discovered the incorrectly set switch. I felt a little shaken by the adrenaline but proud of how my brain had handled the situation. I then proceeded to tell my wife and sister who were in the plane with me what had just happened.

[@pfflying6275]

Cool story. Great job.

[@TheOwlNorge]

Why do I keep seeing so many Cirrus engine failures?

[@pfflying6275]

Not sure what the statistics say, but it's a very popular engine for Bonanza's Cessna, Cirrus, etc. etc. etc. The engine flies a lot. I'm guessing the engine's relaibility is consistent across manufacturers and models. I love the engine. In my case, there is a high probability it was caused by the maintenance shop that performed a top overhaul on the engine.

[@tannerb55]

I’m training in a sr22 you nailed it on the decision making. Great job

[@pfflying6275]

Thank you Tanner. Some luck, terrific training, and practice. We all can do it.

[@alexnutcasio936]

05:05. Anyone see the irony of the River Styx just west of Wadsworth on the map? Great job on the May Day call out: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. Q: you never addressed why you didn’t consider the Cirrus chute 🪂 ? Altitude? Easy terrain ( flat fields) ?

[@pfflying6275]

I did a poor job of explaining it in the video. My belief was that my brain remembered the training session from 5 months earlier and replayed it for me. I presume that because everything I did mirrored what Bob had showed me that day.