Argh! Navion broke

Yeah, I did a shallow climb in circles on the non-pattern side of the airport up to 5500 and flew home from there. Kept an eye on the nearest airports and the Oil Temp and all the other bar graphs on the engine monitor while following Continentals guidance for cylinder breakin. Arrived back at CJR with no incident.

I'm declaring this episode over. Hopefully the annual will not find anything additional.
 
Alas, it apparently wasn't over. I picked up the plane from the annual and was flying it home yesterday afternoon and about 15 south of Lynchburg, VA the engine let go. Put it down on the gear pretty nicely in a cow pasture, only airframe damage was where I hit a fence post on roll out. The engine looks trashed. Still waiting to hear from the FAA.

Made a live spot on the Evening News as a "breaking story" however.
 
Yeah, the 66 year old Navion airframe covered my butt when the 12 year old continental engine didn't.
 
Ron,

I am sorry to hear that. Glad you're ok, and the airplane did its job. Wish i could say the same for your engine
 
Wow! Great job on getting it down with you in one piece. Is it fixable?
 
Sorry to hear Ron, sounds like you did a great job getting it down.
 
Wow... glad you're able to post about all of this!
Hate to ask, but do you have any pictures of your off-field landing?
 
Crappy luck there. Congrats on the cow-pasture landing...sounds like you handled the situation well.

We're all interested in the engine post-mortem, so let us know when you can.
 
Sorry to hear. Congrats on the handling of the off airport landing and the safe outcome.
 
WOW that must have shaken you up a bit.

Glad your ok...

Plane looks great, don't think you will have a hard time getting that in flying shape again.

Hoping for a full report once you get settled.

NICE JOB!
 
Were any cows injured? Is there a traumatic incident councilor available for the cows?
 
flyingron said:
Alas, it apparently wasn't over. I picked up the plane from the annual and was flying it home yesterday afternoon and about 15 south of Lynchburg, VA the engine let go. Put it down on the gear pretty nicely in a cow pasture, only airframe damage was where I hit a fence post on roll out. The engine looks trashed. Still waiting to hear from the FAA.

Made a live spot on the Evening News as a "breaking story" however.
Click to expand...

I guess we can't say "Pictures or it didn't happen!" :)

Glad to hear you're okay. The sucky part is the fencepost... poor Navion!

flyingron said:
Yeah, the 66 year old Navion airframe covered my butt when the 12 year old continental engine didn't.
Click to expand...

Built 'em solid back then, they did.

Any cows startled? :)
 
flyingron said:
Alas, it apparently wasn't over. I picked up the plane from the annual and was flying it home yesterday afternoon and about 15 south of Lynchburg, VA the engine let go. Put it down on the gear pretty nicely in a cow pasture, only airframe damage was where I hit a fence post on roll out. The engine looks trashed. Still waiting to hear from the FAA.

Made a live spot on the Evening News as a "breaking story" however.
Click to expand...

Don't say I didn't warn you about those cylinders.... Glad you are alright if there is anything I can do to help let me know. I have a nice 20' trailer that hauls airplanes well.
 
Damn Ron, you seemed rather giddy in that interview. Can't blame you though.:D

Glad you are ok.
 
flyingron said:
Alas, it apparently wasn't over. I picked up the plane from the annual and was flying it home yesterday afternoon and about 15 south of Lynchburg, VA the engine let go. Put it down on the gear pretty nicely in a cow pasture, only airframe damage was where I hit a fence post on roll out. The engine looks trashed. Still waiting to hear from the FAA.

Made a live spot on the Evening News as a "breaking story" however.
Click to expand...

I'll be waiting to hear what caused the engine failure.
 
Glad you're ok, let us know what the engine inspection finds.
 
Just watched the "breaking story" about a glider going down......

Looks like it was a good field, up hill slope, fairly smooth ground, short grass with spots of semi liquefied bovine refuse....
 
Dang, Ron. Sorry about the luck but certainly glad to see you made it down safely. Well done there!
 
Man, I'm jealous of the grass you can grow back east... that field looks awesome compared to the rough brown prairie grass that'll shake your teeth out landing on it, that we get here... :)
 
You're in one piece, and I wouldn't have known the plane was damaged if you hadn't told me. That's a fine landing in my book.

Well done, Ron! :thumbsup:

I'll be curious to hear what the FAA finds.
 
Nice job, Ron! Glad you were over hospitable terrain.

I always liked to fly as high as was reasonable for that very reason....
 
Yeah, apparently from talking to the locals they had just mowed, bailed, and carried off the hay from that field. It might have been dicier a few weeks ago. I didn't hit the cows, but one did wander through the hole I made in the fence but the locals chased him back where he belonged.
 
The yellow tape around it is a nice touch. Makes it look like a pretty static display in the sunset.

--

Seriously, though, nice job on a safe landing.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Damn Ron, you seemed rather giddy in that interview. Can't blame you though.:D
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My one and only engine failure was over 30 years ago (deadstick landing, no damage). It took two days for the adrenalin rush to die down.

Ron Wanttaja
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
Ok now there's no excuse. Everyone should buy a $50 USB dental camera and check their valves at each oil change. As soon as burning begins it'll be seen and dealt with....before it fails.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea. Harbor Freight sells a "digital inspection camera" that I'll invest in. I've needed one off and on for a while, this just makes the decision easier for me.
 
Wow Ron, Glad you are ok and glad you were over a decent landing spot. Love how the anchor call the Navion a glider plane!
 
Did you offer the property owners wine and cheese. I mean that's the etiquette for hot air balloners....
 
kgruber said:
Great job. Except I was taught to always land near a farmers house, to get a free meal!
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My current CFI recounts that one of his friends emergency landed a twin in a pasture and it rolled and rolled and rolled and tagged the side of the farmer's house with no significant damage to either one. Ha. But supposedly the photos were entertaining of a twin parked with its nose up against the side of the house. I think he said it dented the radome ahead of an onboard radar is all.
 
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