The First Lesson in the New Airplane? Overly Eventful

A ‘colossal screwup’ leaves our rookie reeling, and wondering if there’s more to come.

Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 09:29 AM ET

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A quiet grass strip is a welcome destination…particularly when an urgent precautionary landing is in order. [Photo: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

The author's first flight lesson in his new 1953 Cessna 170 became an emergency when the engine severely overheated due to a cowl plug inadvertently left in place after an abbreviated preflight.
His instructor, Pete, noticed the dangerously high cylinder head temperature, prompting an immediate diversion to a nearby private airfield.
Upon landing, the author discovered his critical oversight and was overcome with shame and fear of having ruined his engine.
Despite the emotional distress, the engine performed well enough after cooling for a monitored flight back home, highlighting the importance of thorough pre-flight checks.

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Editor’s note: This is part one of a three-part series.

As a rule of thumb, you really don’t want your first lesson in your first airplane to be an eventful experience. Memorable, sure. But otherwise, you want a predictable, run-of-the-mill flight to welcome you into the ranks of airplane owners. That’s what I was hoping for back in August of last year, but as it would turn out, it’s not what I’d receive.