Engine Failure Turns Puppy Ferrying Flight Into Glider

Updated GPS and a moving map display were a game changer when a Cessna 172N engine lost power.

Kieran Spaulding

Thursday, September 07, 2023 at 12:47 PM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

Roland Vegiard (left) and Kerry Spaulding. [Credit: Maryanne Bell/Bradford County Humane Society]

Key Takeaways:

A pilot volunteering for Pilots 'n Paws experienced a complete engine failure at 9,500 feet while transporting rescue puppies in his Cessna 172N.
The pilot and co-pilot successfully glided the aircraft to an emergency landing at Virginia Highlands Airport (KVJI) thanks to quick action, emergency procedures, and modern avionics.
Airport staff and local Washington County Sheriff's deputies provided exceptional assistance, caring for the nine puppies and helping the pilots arrange ground transportation to complete the mission.

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As a pilot and airplane owner, I try to share my passion for flying by donating my time and airplane—a recently purchased single-engine Cessna 172N—for worthy causes like Pilots ‘n Paws.

Recently, Roland Vegiard and I embarked on a charitable trip in support of Pilots ‘n Paws relocating some sheltered animals for the Bradford County Humane Society from Towanda, Pennsylvania, to Asheville, North Carolina.