There you are...

"Plan to land at the nearest suitable airport."

I would have pressed for the airport. I can't tell you specifically my preferences on pulling the chute versus landing on the interstate, though, unless I get a good look at that stretch of highway.
 
I've seen planes land with jugs and cowlings missing, engines still running producing enough to get them back to the airport. That is the option I'd take every time if you're still producing power.
 
Canassis said:
For me, the chute is the equivalent as an ejection seat. Absolutely complete last resort. That said, I turned to make the field. The engine was still turning, rough, but going.

I had my gf and a 4 year old in the airplane as well so that added a level of excitement to the scenario. And... I had about 150 TT when it happened.

I'm asking because I had a fellow Cirrus owner ask if I contemplated pulling the handle. I was thinking "what a retard", but politely said no. No way. Fly the still flying, still engine running airplane. I flew the approach high, and slipped it in. Landed fine, found a great mechanic on the field and got it fixed. Engine had 20 hours on a full rebuild, and that's another story for another time. The cylinder had a bad valve. Western Skyways should warranty.

I just needed some confirmation that I made the right call.

Sent from my rooted bamf'n TBolt using Tapatalk
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I agree with you, and your fellow Cirrus owner friend shouldn't be flying airplanes if he was seriously implying that the above situation would warrant blowing the chute. That's a minor emergency at best.
 
Canassis said:
Flying along in a Cirrus at 3500 feet, still inside of Class D airspace, but switched to departure. You're at 3500 feet, in the climb to 6,500 when you look at your instruments, and the number 3 CHT has blown well past 500 degrees, and flashing red at you. Boost is already on, but you running slightly lean of peak. You push the mixture to full, with no observable difference. Suddenly, the number 3 CHT temp drops to normal, than suddenly spikes again past 500. The engine begins to run incredibly rough, and the number 3 CHT is at 0. Altitude is now 3800. Look for place to ditch? Attempt the airport? Pull the handle?

Flight conditions at time of incident: VFR, daytime, clear and a million. Departed out of Ryan Field, Tucson (elevation 2417). Winds were light. I was over desert. Only real option for a ditch would have been the interstate, otherwise it was mesquite, creosote, and palo verde trees.

Tell me what you'd do, and I'll tell you what I did. I'd like some feedback about what I did after I get a few replies about it.
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We had a guy come in for a BFR in an SR22. My boss said the guy answered every WWYD question with, "pull the chute"

How would you recover from a stall..."pull the chute"
If your engine quit right now..."pull the chute"

In my experience ATC will usually give you priority if you tell them you have a rough running engine. Assuming you have enough power to hold altitude and airspeed bring it back to the airport, find the A&P and tell him or her that the engine was running rough. They will adjust the idle so that you have to taxi while riding the breaks, run it up, and tell you there is nothing wrong with it and "Just go fly the damn thing!"
 
Canassis said:
I just needed some confirmation that I made the right call.

Sent from my rooted bamf'n TBolt using Tapatalk
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You definitely did make the right call. Hopefully your girlfriend thought so and rewarded you accordingly for saving her life. :beer:
 
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