Some people probably shouldn't be flying airplanes.

ChasenSFO

hen teaser
So I was preflighting at SQL yesterday and its a pretty strong x-wind. I hear a guy taking off and I look over to see how he does. I see a Cardinal RG slowly climbing away crabbing quite a bit, then when he gets to maybe 100-150 feet, I hear "POP POP!", and his engine quits. He shoves the nose down, but its all residential with no open spaces to land at such a low altitude, I was just thinking "OMGZ HE'S GONNA CRASH". Luckily, engine restarts, gear comes up, he recovers and climbs away maybe 60 feet AGL, over a busy road. I see him land a few minutes later and turn off the runway, I just thought to myself how lucky the guy was and how I should always be ready for something to go wrong after rotation. Then as I'm checking the fuel a few minutes later, guess who's taking off AGAIN? And not just taking off, flaps 10 and a shortfield takeoff. He does another trip around the pattern, then lands and parks.

My question. What in the HELL was he thinking? Engine just quit on him, he came very close to crushing commuters on the way home, lands safely, then takes off again? Why? All balls and no brains? I know if I were him that takeoff would have had me shaking and probably not flying again for the next few days, at least in THAT airplane.

Over the past day I've been thinking about it, just thinking what made him think it was a good idea to keep playing around with short field takeoffs after he almost loses power? I come up with nothing. Ideas?
 
About the only thing I can think of is that the "pop pop silence" was pilot induced and figured out his own error. Now that being said, he still doesn't need to be flying!
 
About the only thing I can think of is that the "pop pop silence" was pilot induced and figured out his own error. Now that being said, he still doesn't need to be flying!
Yeah, but even if it was, you would think the guy would say "Man, I really screwed up" and call it quits for the day.
 
... not necessarily, if it really was his own doing it would make sense to go right back up and get it right and end the day on a positive note. Now, if it wasn't his own doing and he just wanted to see if it will happen again that's a whole new ball of wax. Is there a way you can inquire around about that? Maybe even get a hold of the guy and try to talk to him? That could be really useful.
 
If you retard the throttles on a cardinal, could it be feasable that the engine might quickly backfire? The "silence" may have been the lower rpm output of the engine/prop.

Playing devil's advocate, he might have just retarded the throttle to keep himself sharp on engine out procedures immediately after T/O.
 
If you retard the throttles on a cardinal, could it be feasable that the engine might quickly backfire? The "silence" may have been the lower rpm output of the engine/prop.

Playing devil's advocate, he might have just retarded the throttle to keep himself sharp on engine out procedures immediately after T/O.

That completely changes the context of the situation. And it is a totally logical explanation.

Challenging crosswind, practicing engine out technique, short field takeoffs, and I'm sure a multitude of other things.

Good on the pilot if this is what he was doing.
 
KSQL is a crazy airport. Not one of my favorites that I've ever been to. Guy got really lucky.
 
That completely changes the context of the situation. And it is a totally logical explanation.

True (if true! :)), but also points out two of the great qualities of forums such as this; 1) It allows us to learn things more easily. Example, it's unlikely I'll be flying a Cardinal anytime soon, but this info adds to my library of aviation knowledge. 2) It points out how some things are not as they appear to us or to others.

This should encourage us to keep asking questions, not avoid asking them. Since aviation has a very nasty reputation of being fatal should someone mess up, my personal philosophy is "I'd rather look stupid than be stupid."
 
If you retard the throttles on a cardinal, could it be feasable that the engine might quickly backfire? The "silence" may have been the lower rpm output of the engine/prop.

Playing devil's advocate, he might have just retarded the throttle to keep himself sharp on engine out procedures immediately after T/O.

Wow... as Tfaundree pointed out, that changes everything. Good idea bringing a different outlook to the table. It would be very interesting to hear from the pilot what he was doing. Sounds logical to me though.
 
I don't wanna be too critical of people with a lot more experience than me, but is 100-200ft AGL over a crowded residential area really the place to simulate an engine failure after takeoff? :confused:
 
I don't wanna be too critical of people with a lot more experience than me, but is 100-200ft AGL over a crowded residential area really the place to simulate an engine failure after takeoff? :confused:

I agree it seems like a strange place to practice engine failures, but as previously stated, we don't have enough information to know what was really happening.
 
Similar situation I witnessed this morning.

Got to the field, saw a small multi circling mid-field at TPA. When I was on the ramp he landed with a loud screech. Waited 5 minutes, then was taxiing back to runway and took off. Never saw him again after that.
 
Similar situation I witnessed this morning.

Got to the field, saw a small multi circling mid-field at TPA. When I was on the ramp he landed with a loud screech. Waited 5 minutes, then was taxiing back to runway and took off. Never saw him again after that.


And?
 
and he never saw him again after that

My point is .... so what? There are plenty of airports I've been to that the locals probably "have never seen me again after 'that'". Needles, Reid-Hillview, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, etc. etc. I could go on.

Loud screech? Happens. Hell every landing I have since I fly twice a month is like a carrier landing.....:dunno:

I'm just wondering, unless the guy shows up on the news or in the NTSB database, what's so wrong about a guy comin' in, havin' a crap landing (in the poster's eyes), and leaving?
 
My point is .... so what? There are plenty of airports I've been to that the locals probably "have never seen me again after 'that'". Needles, Reid-Hillview, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, etc. etc. I could go on.

Loud screech? Happens. Hell every landing I have since I fly twice a month is like a carrier landing.....:dunno:

I'm just wondering, unless the guy shows up on the news or in the NTSB database, what's so wrong about a guy comin' in, havin' a crap landing (in the poster's eyes), and leaving?
It was because the landing happened after the plane had been circling midfield for a couple minutes before landing.
 
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