![After a complete power loss in his RV-7A, the author made a successful highway landing. [Credit: Paul Strickland]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Paul-Strickland-RV7A-Engine-Failure-rotated-e1782153173944.jpeg)
Some pilots like to embellish on their “saves” to inflate their own stature. Not me. I didn’t want this to happen, and I don’t want to experience another one. In fact, I’d prefer not to write this column.
However, the old saying “not if, but when” applies to October 7, 2025, when my Van’s RV-7A engine spewed its last gasp and became an inefficient nose ballast. Pilots fear single-engine failure for good reason—it’s scary. I hope this helps the next poor schmuck faced with the reality of engine failure.
