By the fall of 1978 I’d worked for Piper Aircraft in Lakeland, Florida, for three years. I was the assistant chief engineer-technical, which meant I had the people in the structures, aerodynamics, power plants, systems, electrical/avionics and flight-test groups all working for me. At the time, we were working extremely hard to certify the new Piper Cheyenne III. I was, however, also responsible for support of the twin-engine Navajo Chieftain assembled at Lakeland.
ILAFFT: When Paying Attention Pays Off
Key Takeaways:
- An aircraft test pilot experienced a complete electrical failure and a dead battery during a single-engine test flight, leaving him with no radios and an inoperable feathered engine.
- Facing the dangerous prospect of a no-radio, single-engine landing, the pilot remembered a technical discussion about propeller feathering limits.
- He successfully applied this knowledge by executing a high-speed dive to unfeather and air-start the engine, averting the risky single-engine landing.
- The incident underscored the value of expert technical knowledge and led to improved placement of critical warning lights in future aircraft designs.
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