Stingray Don
En-Route
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2014
- Messages
- 2,964
- Location
- Indianapolis, Indiana
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Stingray Don
Okay, so I went to do some pattern work at the home drome the other day in search of the illusive greaser, which has been akin to capturing Big Foot. Like Big Foot, I have heard they exist and I have seen videos on YouTube, but I remain skeptical. Anyway, I’m just doing my usual crash and go’s, when I smell a foul odor. Now a foul odor in the cockpit is typically just a routine intestinal emergency and nothing to be concerned about, but this smell was different. A few seconds later and the smell was getting more intense and I could tell something was burning – not good! I check the CBs and nothing has popped. All of the electrical equipment appears to be working. Should I just shut off the master? Grab the emergency checklist! There is no time as I am on final and I hear my old instructor’s voice, “just fly the plane!” “Yes master”, I reply. Yes, I often hear voices in my head and I am polite and answer them. Why be rude to an apparition?
Anyway, I land the plane - *squeak* ……… *squeak*. Grrrreased it! My shorts that is – not the landing. The landing sucked. But at least I was the ground. As I taxi off I am shutting things down. The only thing I noticed that wasn’t working was the taxi light (it was night). At this point the burning smell was pretty intense. I think about channeling Ricky Bobby by jumping out of the plane and running around the ramp stripped to my BVDs, “help me Oprah!” No, better not do that. Someone might post the video to POA and ruin my rep.
I get the plane back in the hangar and begin my inspection – sure enough, I can see and smell the evidence. So I change my shorts and then check on the plane. I immediately notice soot marks on the cowl and a small spot of molten aluminum. Arrrrgggggg! I call the shop in the morning and have them check it out. Apparently the taxi light wire pulled loose and shorted against the cowl. How on earth does a short melt a hole in the cowl and not pop a breaker?!!! The shop attached a patch panel on the inside of the cowl and touched up the paint.
Lived to fly another day!
Anyway, I land the plane - *squeak* ……… *squeak*. Grrrreased it! My shorts that is – not the landing. The landing sucked. But at least I was the ground. As I taxi off I am shutting things down. The only thing I noticed that wasn’t working was the taxi light (it was night). At this point the burning smell was pretty intense. I think about channeling Ricky Bobby by jumping out of the plane and running around the ramp stripped to my BVDs, “help me Oprah!” No, better not do that. Someone might post the video to POA and ruin my rep.
I get the plane back in the hangar and begin my inspection – sure enough, I can see and smell the evidence. So I change my shorts and then check on the plane. I immediately notice soot marks on the cowl and a small spot of molten aluminum. Arrrrgggggg! I call the shop in the morning and have them check it out. Apparently the taxi light wire pulled loose and shorted against the cowl. How on earth does a short melt a hole in the cowl and not pop a breaker?!!! The shop attached a patch panel on the inside of the cowl and touched up the paint.
Lived to fly another day!
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