Always training and never expecting it.
I was departing Albuquerque one night in a Cessna 414, and through 16,000 I noticed the right engine has NO OIL PRESSURE.
How the heck did that happen? That gauge must be wrong. This is a brand new engine, how can anything be wrong with it?
Uh oh..... better shut it off while I can. Power to idle, prop into feather....wait for it, prop stops, mixture off, fuel pump off, mags off, alternator off..... gotta tell departure whats going on.
Before calling departure I need to tell the med crew what is happening. Seems they have already noticed the right propeller is not turning anymore. I click on their intercom and tell them what happened and why I shut the engine down. Hee hee..... look at them sweat, even in the middle of winter.
What? Oh... departure is asking why I stopped climbing, I better tell them why. They understand. Oh good, they are moving other airplanes away from me. They are asking me what I want to do.... get back to ABQ of course.
The controller must be a pilot. He states that he does not want me to turn into the dead engine.... good, I wasn't planning that. The controller works it out so that I make all left turns to intercept the localizer. Then he gives me the current weather. Calm winds.... visibility 10, 500 scattered, 1000 broken, 1200 overcast......and tops reported at 3000. Ok, thanks, won't spend too much time in the clouds.
Now the controller ask if I want the trucks standing by..... sure, they need something to do.... meanwhile I get on the sat phone and call dispatch to let them know why I turned around. He tells me he will arrange a rescue flight to come get us.... thanks, no need to stay here all night.
Getting close to the airport.... glideslope good, localizer good.... middle marker, time for the gear, clunk clunk.... three green, always good to see that..., first notch on the flaps.... should see the ground soon,,.... rabbits in sight.... runway in sight.... flaps..... still three green on the gear..... hold that speed, don't get slow.
Wow... look at all the red lights waiting for me.... getting close to the ground..... full flaps..... hold that rudder, keep center line.....
Mains touch down.... I tell the controller that if I can keep my taxi speed up I can get to the ramp.... he tells me that is fine, taxi to the ramp, stay with me.... nose wheel on the ground....
Man.... look at the trucks racing to keep up with me.... tell the med crew we are on the ground and they start breathing again.
We park at the ramp. The trucks finally catch up..... I get out of the plane and a fire/rescue person is walking towards me. I hold out my hand and introduce myself and thank him for doing his job. I apologize to him for getting everyone up at this hour and in the freezing cold. He laughs and tells me that it is his job.
Before we enter the FBO I tell the med crew to not talk to anyone except on were we will eat.... man, look at the crowd in the FBO.... wonder what they are doing here at 2am? Someone says a plane landed after losing an engine.....well, I sure hope they find that engine....
Most of multi engine training is flying on one engine. Train well and if it happens for real you will be ready.
) I was checking out in a Seminole with a buddy MEI and when I tried to trim the rudder it was stiff as hell, "What's the deal, how do the students work this?" "They don't, we don't trim for a single engine?"
