Racing a Storm Is Not the Best Choice

Ferrying an airplane for a friend takes a turn for the worse when a storm prompts a hasty reaction.

Andy Gelston

Friday, August 12, 2022 at 01:15 PM ET

Verified

[Illustration: Joel Kimmel]

Key Takeaways:

A pilot undertook the task of ferrying a vintage Piper J3L-65 Cub from Virginia to Wisconsin, initially aiming for a single-day journey but encountering an advancing storm.
To escape the storm, the pilot made an unplanned and precarious landing in overgrown grass at an unverified small airfield, enduring a cold, leaky, mosquito-infested night in the cockpit.
The next morning, a highly risky takeoff from the challenging, overgrown strip barely allowed the Cub to clear power lines and a fence.
The author critically reflects on their series of poor judgments, including racing the storm and rushing decisions, emphasizing the importance of good judgment and attributing their safe outcome more to luck than skill.

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“Would you go to Hanover County, Virginia, and fly the Cub I just bought to my grass strip in southeastern Wisconsin?” A friend in need asked me—and I was happy to make the trip.

“Sure.” So I flew commercial into Richmond where the seller picked me up, then introduced me to the prewar Piper J3L-65 Cub. She was original and in remarkably good shape, so I prepped her for the trip and slept on the FBO’s couch that night.