Lift Reserve Indicator

[radfordc]

So sad that this scenario continues to happen. Is it so difficult to keep from stalling at low altitude?

[fastj22]

According to witnesses, as the airplane climbed after takeoff the engine backfired and began to sputter. The airplane made a steep 180 degree left turn, back towards the airport and went into a nose down attitude. The airplane began to spiral downward and collided with a pond.

During my flight training, my instructor drilled into me on every takeoff what to do when you lose your engine low to the ground. The only scenario where you can turn back is when you are above pattern altitude. Less than that and you land straight ahead. I think some high time pilots forget that advice.

[N111YX]

I'm convinced that most pilots are susceptible to the turn-back disaster. I think of a few guys that I have known that died and the fact that I wanted to turn back when a bad prop governor slid my rpm back in a single at 300 AGL. I REALLY wanted to turn! Comitting to crash straight ahead over the course of a few seconds while recalling the advice "don't ever do that" seem very conflicted in the real world. After all, the victims that I have known would be the very first guys to tell you not to do it!

[Rynoth]

As a higher time professional pilot, I can confirm that thousands of hours flying multi-engine/turbine/fancy pants aircraft can do a lot to make you complacent and forget what the right procedure is for a single-engine piston aircraft in the event of an engine failure at low altitude.

Most professional pilots are very adept at dealing with adverse weather, busy airports, and the monotony of cruise flight. Beyond that, it's up to their training and diligence to keep them safe in unforeseen circumstances. Stalls, engine failures, and other emergencies are, as for most all pilots, mostly only seen or experienced in a training scenario. All this to say, hours in a logbook is no substitute for actual proficiency in dealing with whatever is actually being dealt with.

[Bryan Cotton]

Do you suppose an AoA instrument would have helped here:

I do not think it would have helped in this case. I do agree that it can be a helpful instrument, possibly even for a more orderly forced landing. I hope that if I ever have in an engine failure on departure with no good options that I do the right thing. Hope to never find out.

[radfordc]

I began flying in ultralights so engine stoppages are not unfamiliar to me. I would routinely shut the engine off and make deadstick landings just for practice. However, the one time that my engine failed while climbing immediately after takeoff was certainly different...at least mentally. In an ultralight and with 400 AGL I could turn back to the runway without any problem.

I have practiced the same thing in my Sonex. Starting straight and level at 2000 feet I did a full power takeoff climb at 80 mph. As I passed through 2500 feet I chopped the throttle, waited a second, and then did a max performance 180 turn back and flared to landing speed. I could do it in 350-400 feet if I did it right, but I would not feel comfortable making an actual turn back below 600 AGL.

[sonex892]

I learned to fly in winch launched gliders back in the 70s. The winch cable would break so often we had to be ready for it. During training Instructors would also release the cable. So often, that being ready for a cable break at any part of the take off became second nature.

I think from memory, below 200' land ahead, above 200' we had enough height to make it back around. I would not attempt a turn back in a powered plane without first practising to find the limits of what is possible for that particular plane.

This video was recently on avweb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byBh1Qd6IgA

Steve
Sonex 892

[radfordc]

The turn back maneuver isn't the killer by itself...it's the stall that happens when you don't fly the maneuver correctly. You can't hold a plane in the air by pulling back on the stick....no matter how badly you want to.

[fastj22]

The turn back maneuver isn't the killer by itself...it's the stall that happens when you don't fly the maneuver correctly. You can't hold a plane in the air by pulling back on the stick....no matter how badly you want to.

This is where I think the LRI can save your life. Immediately upon engine failure, your focus should be to choose a landing area then fly the plane using the LRI to maintain Vy. The LRI will tell what options are available and which ones are not. You may have to choose an alternate.

My next flight, I'm planning on getting to a safe altitude and practice emergency turn backs using the LRI. Find out where the demons are and what is the minimum altitude I can safely do it.

[Bryan Cotton]

Like Steve I learned this in gliders. The 200' is a standard threshold for the turn back. In some gliders you can do it in less than 100' if conditions are right. It is a bit different than power though. Also in gliders you spend a lot of time thermalling just above stall at 30-60 degrees AOB. It is natural to be there. If you figure out the minimum altitude in your Sonex I would add altitude for reaction time and adverse conditions.

I had one rope break low. Adam in back. Not enough distance to stop and not enough altitude to do a 180. Besides it was so rough that I would not have turned back at 200'. Fortunately I was able to get beyond the guardrail and then the hill dropped off giving me 800'. Even better the ridge started working.