I’ve been diagnosed with a very unhealthy amount of cancer and am starting to take stock of my life. Looking back at a 35-year love affair with flying small airplanes, I realize just how important flying was to me personally. I just reviewed my logbook for the first time in many years and found one particular entry that I will remember forever.
A Pilot Recalls the Most Basic Lesson of Airmanship
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot, reflecting on his 35-year love for flying amid a terminal cancer diagnosis, recounted a harrowing incident where his plane's engine failed at 300 feet shortly after takeoff.
- Despite the engine repeatedly quitting and sputtering back to life, the pilot's quick thinking and adherence to training (prioritizing airspeed and making an emergency return to the airport) enabled him to land safely without damage.
- The engine failure was later determined to be caused by water-contaminated fuel due to leaking gas caps, with the pilot crediting his primary instructor's lessons for his survival.
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