Submitted by Carlton Kenyon on February 7th, 2016 at the age of 96!
In March of 1957, while flying out of Pontiac, Michigan in a 1947 Cessna 140, a situation developed which I would not like to experience again. I had taken off alone on this morning with just the desire to be up among the clouds. Having a brother living near a small town of Mt. Morris, about 35 miles north and as he had a private strip at his home, I decided to fly up and say hello. Leaving the Pontiac area and heading north, the unlimited visability and smooth air brought contentment to this Private Pilot with something over a hundred hours of experience.
The Altimeter indicated 3100 ft as we were over Kearsley Dam, which was about 5 or 6 miles from the strip. Being conservative, I thought that to use the 3100 feet wisely would be in line with my character. Pulling carburetor heat, I put the 140 into a long glide clearing the engine several times, perfectly confident that I was doing everything according to the book and that all was well. With the strip well in view and lots of airspeed, I swooped down to about 200 feet to drag the field. As the indicated airspeed was about 115 MPH I felt completely at ease, but as the 140 was over the center of the strip, I advanced the throttle and THERE WAS NO RESPONSE! Chills ran up and down my spine as I switched tanks, double checked on carburetor heat and looked for any other cause, but still no response. I tried to remember all I had read about forced landings and did manage to keep the nose down and the plane at a proper glide angle, while searching frantically for a place to set down. The area is mostly small farms with considerable wooded area, but I spotted a corn field with only the short stubble left and it looked like the only place at all that offered any chance to set down in one piece. Making a shallow bank to the left we set down in this corn field and rolled to a stop. I just sat there for a few minutes and shook. Then I thanked the Lord that He had allowed me to come down in one piece.
I was at a loss as to the reason for the engine failure and got out of the plane, opened up the cowl and could see nothing wrong. I checked the fuel supply and there was plenty. Getting back into the plane, I pulled the starter control. The engine responded and sounded completely normal. Now what to do! I was on the ground safe. Should I stay on the ground and truck the plane out or try to fly it back to Pontiac? The engine was running perfect but this field was rather small and upwind about 2000 feet and right in the path of takeoff were high tension electric wires. Still concerned as to what had caused the engine failure I just did not want to fly over those wires.
Shutting off the engine I got out, picked up the tail and backed it up as close to the fence as possible and decided on a downwind takeoff as I would only have to clear a 3 foot barbed wire fence on that end of the field and then just low shrub brush after that for the next 1/2 mile or so. Still more shook up than I can ever remember of having been before I started the engine and checked the mags and everything seemed completely normal. Holding the brakes I advanced the throttle until the plane quivered, then as the brakes were released the Cessna started bouncing down between the rows of stubble. At 100 feet from the fence we were still on the ground, but with the tail high the airspeed was building up and at 25 feet from the fence, slight back pressure on the wheel lifted her off.
With the engine purring contentedly, I relaxed a little and reached down to release the flaps, but found that in the excitement I had forgot to use them at all. I gained altitude as soon as possible and flew high all the way back to Pontiac. In fact I have been flying high every since and do all my dragging of fields under power and respecting the legal minimum.
Private Pilot Carlton Kenyon |
