Recently, the AOPA Web site featured a video shot by Mooney pilot Dave Keller of an eventful takeoff. Unfortunately, the engine in Kellers Mooney failed shortly after liftoff on February 6, 2009. Fortunately for both the pilot and us, he had set up a video camera to record the flight. Equally fortunate, he was taking off from his home base, and was very familiar with the runway layout and the airplane. 288
Turning Back, Again
Recently, the AOPA Web site featured a video shot by Mooney pilot Dave Keller of an eventful takeoff. Unfortunately, the engine in Kellers Mooney failed shortly after liftoff on February 6, 2009. Fortunately for both the pilot and us, he had set up a video camera to record the flight. Equally fortunate, he was taking off from his home base, and was very familiar with the runway layout and the airplane. Keller turned back to the departure airport, where he managed to land, deadstick, on a different runway. He emerged uninjured and the airplane was undamaged. The video presentation is available online at http://tinyurl.com/yev96er.
Key Takeaways:
- Mooney pilot Dave Keller successfully performed a deadstick turnback maneuver after an engine failure shortly after takeoff, landing safely on a different runway.
- Despite Keller's success, the article and aviation experts strongly caution against the "turnback maneuver" as a general response to engine failure due to its inherent high risk.
- Studies indicate that while practicing the turnback can improve success rates, landing more or less straight ahead consistently proves to be a safer and more successful option.
- Keller's exceptional experience, familiarity with his aircraft and airport, and excellent airmanship were critical to his unique outcome, underscoring the importance of mastering critical airspeeds for emergency situations.
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