I Learned About Flying From That: Breaking In a New Airplane

Roy Clennan

Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 09:17 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

A pilot experienced multiple critical failures, including a non-extending landing gear and an engine shutdown, during the first flight of a recently purchased, vintage Baron aircraft.
Despite these simultaneous emergencies, the pilot resourcefully managed the situation by manually forcing the landing gear down and successfully restarting the engine, leading to a safe landing.
The incident highlighted the importance of thorough pre-flight checks, reviewing emergency procedures, and the value of simulator training, while also prompting reflection on ways to improve preparedness for unexpected events.

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I was in the grocery store picking up some food for Super Bowl Sunday when I got the call. The offer I made on the 1970 B58 Baron had been accepted. A quick look online showed that there was one flight leaving that afternoon for Arkansas, and in three hours I was on my way.

The airplane was old and tired and had been ridden hard and put to bed wet. The logbooks were missing prior to 1980, and maintenance in the last five years was questionable. However, the engines were almost new and the aircraft served my purpose well. I live on St. Thomas, in the Virgin Islands, and was looking for an island hopper. I just wanted enough airplane to be able to feel safe and secure as I explored the Caribbean. My plan was to do a compression check and a thorough inspection of the airplane. If it looked good, I was going to fly it out to Colorado for an annual inspection.