Flight number 3

[Mike Kimball]

Multiple engine runs on the ground including multiple max power runs. A few
adjustments to the carb and distributer. Everything looking good. At the
run-up area everything looks good. All gauges in the green. Coolant and
oil temp low but off the peg. Down the runway I nearly lose it because I
wasn't flying the airplane. I was watching engine gauges. Everything looks
good. Climb on upwind, all is well. I'm only getting 4000 RPM max which I
don't quite understand, but running smooth and all looks good. Turn to
crosswind and there is a slight drop in RPM to about 3800. Turn on downwind
and looks good. All of a sudden, power loss, rough engine, and smoke out
the right side of the cowl. I immediately tell the tower I'm landing on the
runway I just took off from but the other way. Power off, nose down,
airspeed climbing, losing runway fast. Despite not having explored the
plane's flight characteristics yet, I decide on a significant forward slip
to lose altitude, S-turning to keep as much runway left for me as possible.
I land disturbingly near the end still carrying too much speed. I pull the
stick into my lap and apply maximum braking. Somehow, I make the turn at
the end and taxi clear and shut down. I look back at the runway and there's
a huge cloud of smoke. No wonder the tower kept calling to ask if I needed
assistance as I was trying to manage an emergency landing. I ignored their
calls for a while then finally managed a "negative" on the air. I didn't
know there was that much smoke. I get out and look for fire. Just smoke.
I discover the source of the smoke. There is oil dripping out of the right
hand exhaust pipe. Dangit! What now! I open a cowl door and find the
dipstick almost all the way out. I also see signs of oil around the
breather caps on the valve covers. Excessive crankcase pressure? Really?
Why hasn't this manifested itself during ground runs? Maybe because I don't
keep the engine running at max power for very long on the ground. I figure
0.2 in the logbook for this flight. That's twice as long as the last one.
I'm getting awfully tired of emergency landings though. I bet the tower is
like, "Oh no, 744MK again. Clear some airspace for him."

Mike
044SR




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