Path: scolex!sco!uunet!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!phx.mcd.mot.com!markp
From: markp@phx.mcd.mot.com (Mark Peters)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: Power loss over Lake Tahoe
Summary: Too close!
Message-ID: <15303@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 91 08:58:20 PDT
Sender: listen@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com
Reply-To: markp@phx.mcd.mot.com (Mark Peters)
Distribution: na
Organization: Motorola, Tempe, Az.
Lines: 95

[Posted by Mike Collins (mikec@phx.mcd.mot.com).  Please
 direct email to Mark (markp@phx.mcd.mot.com).]

 JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO FLY OVER THE WATER!

	Is it luck or lack of that keeps me neighboring
with the grasp of extinction. I'm a low timer with only 450
hours and an addiction to flying.Now I don't know if it's
normal for you all, but in that small amount of time I have
experienced engine melt down at night, cross country filling
the cabin with smoke, blew the head off a 182 over the desert
loaded with four,pulled cables out of the panel,lost generators,
radios,lights,bird strikes and so on.My last escape over Lake
Tahoe assured me it's luck.I'll try to put ya in the back seat
of my 172 for this story so fasten your seat belt please.

	After survival of three nights in Reno for the air
races,we were ready for an exit, stage left.I called,"RENO
TOWER, CESNOID N4613L FLIGHT OF TWO,NO.1 AT 16R." I looked
at Brent my navigator and then out the window to see a
thumbs up from Al in the other 172."CESNOID N4613L POSITION
AND HOLD 16R". "ROGER,POSITION AND HOLD 13L".After having
our car towed along with every thing else that went wrong,
we were ready."CESNOID N4613L CLEARED FOR TAKE OFF 16R,
MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH RV4"."ROGER, VISUAL RV4, 13L".

	Clearing the ARSA, we were headed for Lake Tahoe
for pictures and sight seeing.It was a slow climb, I had
brought my tools, survival junk, ice chest, luggage, full
tanks but left our money there. We entered from the East
through Spooners Pass over the lake.We flew the North end
and the headed back South to take pictures of our planes.

	I began to hear the engine change pitch.I thought
it was ice or vapor lock. I didn't want to upset Brent
so I switched from left over to right tank and pushed
in mixt/carb.I called,"AL,I'M HEADING EAST TOWARD THE PASS".
Brent gave me one glance and new something was up.Just as
we leveled off the engine lost power for a couple seconds.
"Hey MR.AL, WE GOT PROBLEMS MAINTAINING ENGINE RPM".
I scanned the panel and all was well but the TACH and my
heart beat.We flew toward the pass for about one minute
with surging power only to loose the rhythm to a deathly
silence.

	"OK AL,WE LOST POWER. I'M HEADING FOR THE PASS
AND IF I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE IT, I'LL TURN AROUND AND
DITCH IN IN THE WATER NEAR THE SHORE".Let me tell you, it's
real hard to maintain best glide and not pull back when in
that position.I was approaching the pass at an angle which
would allow me to turn back to the lake.Now it was time
to decide our future."AL,I'M GOING FOR THE PASS,LOOKS
LIKE WE CAN MAKE IT".When we lost power, we sank so fast
Al lost sight of us.My full attention was on flying through
the pass as calls beckoned my response over the radio.

	After we cleared the pass,I informed Al and the others
now on freq that we cleared the pass.I had a choice of two 
airports to land at and picked Douglas because it was
located away from residential areas.We sank like a tub of
cement along side the mountain."Al,SWITCHING TO DOUGLAS FREQ".
"DOUGLAS TRAFFIC,CESNOID 4613L NW INBOUND WITH LOSS OF ENGINE".
I don't know which was sinking faster, my heart or the plane.
After a short time I looked at Brent and shook my head,"AL,
WE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY AND LOOKING FOR ALTERNATE".

	We spotted what looked to be a dirt runway, only to
find power lines in the way.Brent informed me of a road to my
right.I looked and turned with relief. As we neared the road
I spotted power lines again in the way.I then spotted a area
that looked about 2000'in length with a tree at one end."AL,
YOU SEE THAT CLEARING WITH A TREE AT THE END,THATS WHERE
WILL SEE YA!" I set up my plan of attack and now had time
to breath.I began to try ever thing,in great frustration I
jammed the throttle in and out several times and got a
burst of power.

	That response got me pumping the accelerator and rewarded
us with some engine rpm.I began to level off and climb."AL, WERE
CLIMBING TO THE AIRPORT BY PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR!"I couldn't
believe it,we lucked out and pumped the 172 EIGHT miles to
the airport.We found the carb blocked by a tiny thing-a-do.
Right or wrong, my number one was best glide followed by
a search for a landing spot.I tried to keep AL informed of
our intentions and location in case.We were sinking so fast
it was every thing I had to stay above the rocks on the 
mountain.After I knew where to land, I was relaxed and relieved
enough to try things.

	Thats the second time while flying in formation a
problem has occurred, this time to me.It sure is nice to
have someone there for what ever the reason.See ya there
next year!

				MP