With the early morning sun just beginning to brighten the sky, my 1966 Piper Cherokee climbed from Meriden Markham Airport’s (KMMK) Runway 18. The conditions in Meriden, Connecticut, were clear, with calm winds — a perfect day for flying. Armed with a Special Flight Rules Area VFR flight plan, I turned toward my destination, Tipton Airport (KFME), adjacent to Fort Meade, Maryland, and 7 nm south of Baltimore/Washington’s Thurgood Marshall Airport (KBWI).
I Learned about Flying from That: Fireworks, Flashlights and Fireflies
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot experienced a generator failure and complete loss of electrical power during a night flight, rendering their radios and aircraft lights inoperative.
- Facing an emergency, the pilot had to perform a challenging visual landing at an unlit public-use airport, relying on a flashlight and navigation apps.
- The incident underscored the critical importance of carrying backup equipment, such as a handheld radio and spare batteries, for unexpected in-flight emergencies.
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