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 complete electrical failure in his Piper Cherokee shortly after a night takeoff, resulting in the loss of radio communication, lights, and eventual transponder function while flying within the DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA).
- Navigating by flashlight and ForeFlight, the pilot successfully diverted to an unlit, public-use airport, Clearview Airpark (2W2), and performed a challenging landing on a short runway in dark conditions.
- The incident prompted the pilot to adopt a crucial safety measure: carrying a handheld radio and spare batteries as backup for future flights.
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