AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 92
P&E
NEVER AGAIN
Scud running
Solo in a fighter jet in the mountains
B Y L LOY D H E R M A N
92 | AOPA PILOT January 2014
positive Gs, the jet seemed to come over the top of some kind of trajectory.
The altimeter had passed through 16,000 feet and now began to unwind. The
airspeed indicator raced toward the redline. The now-useless gyro horizon
and DG floated crazily in their gimbals.
In panic, I didn't throttle back or extend the dive brakes. With airspeed
indicating more than 500 mph in a screaming powered dive, I shot out of the
cloud base. Tree-covered mountains rising up on all sides disappeared into
the overcast. Hyperventilating, I hauled back on the stick. As I overcontrolled,
the little fighter shuddered through the approach to a high-speed stall, and
I began to gray out.
Still overcontrolling, I shot back into the overcast in a powered vertical
climb. But now I knew I had to be somewhere among the Catalina Mountains,
in solid cloud, and totally out of control.
Drenched in perspiration, I heard my voice from somewhere, muffled in
my high-pressure oxygen mask, calling to God for intervention. (It's amazing
how we remember our Creator when we're in extremis). My youthful arrogance was now replaced by paralyzing terror. And I couldn't eject; the seats
in our A models were unarmed.
The climb progressed, airspeed again decayed, and the inevitable dive
began. Shaking like a malaria victim, I finally found the wits to retard the
power and deploy the dive brakes. As the F-80 plunged out of the overcast
a second time, millions of trees on mountainsides that rose into the murk
blurred past below my wings. Diving steeply into a wide, deep valley that
appeared to be several miles long, I was able to visually recover.
My hands were shaking as I caged and reset the artificial horizon and
DIGITAL EXTRA Hear this and other original "Never Again" stories
as podcasts every month and download audio files free from our
growing library (www.aopa.org/pilot/never_again).
PATRICK VALE
THE FLIGHT HAD BEGUN SIMPLY ENOUGH. The year was
1949. I was a young Air Force aviation cadet with a little more than 200 flying hours, all of which had been
in the North American T-6 aircraft. Here, in advanced
fighter training, I had only a few hours of solo time in
my new F-80 jet fighter.
It was a beautiful day and life was good. This was
my first cross-country flight in the Shooting Star, originating from Williams Air Force Base in Arizona via
Tucson, Arizona, to March AFB in California and
return. The mission was VFR map reading with the
radio automatic direction finder for backup.
During planning, I noticed the Santa Catalina
Mountains, northeast of Tucson, near the route of
flight. This seemed inconsequential, as conditions
were forecast to be VFR, and I would be cruising at
36,000 feet. A no-sweat exercise.
I ran through the start sequence. Climbing from
the runway the little bird accelerated as the landing
gear retracted into the bays with a soft thunk. Fingertip
touch on the stick, and the airplane rolled with ghostly
smoothness into a climbing southbound turn.
Climbing through 20,000 feet on a heading to
Tucson, I encountered an unpredicted cloud layer with
ragged bases. I trimmed forward on the stick, hoping to
stay clear and resume the climb shortly, not realizing
the deck was thickening and lowering-and that I was
actually losing altitude just to maintain contact with
the terrain. In the fringes of the cloud base and staring
at the scrub-covered desert, I wasn't cross-checking
my instruments.
When I finally glanced at the panel, I was stunned
to see the altimeter winding up through 7,000 feet and
my gyro instruments were tumbling.
The airplane was out of control. I was in shock.
There was a sense of vertical aileron rolls, but I
couldn't confirm anything. This was a formless void,
and my gyro instruments had tumbled.
As airspeed became low I worried about negative
G forces, recalling that the engine would flame out if
the fuel was displaced away from the tank bottoms.
With tentative back pressure on the stick to maintain
http://www.aopa.org/pilot/never_again
http://www.aopa.org/pilot/never_again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014
Contents
President’s Position
Visual Approach
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Pint-size warbird
Events
Behind the Scenes
‘Live in the Moment’
First Look
Fly-Outs
Pilot Products
Pilots Products
AOPA Sweepstakes
Test Pilot
News
Harley in the Sky
Mission to ‘Mars’
Epic Flight: The Whales of Baja
Dream Come True
Can Airshows Come Back?
Techniques
Airframe
Avionics
Never Again
State and Local Action
AOPA Action
AOPA Foundation
Member Services
AOPA Insurance Agency
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Visual Approach
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Pint-size warbird
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Events
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Behind the Scenes
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - ‘Live in the Moment’
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - First Look
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Pilots Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - AOPA Sweepstakes
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Harley in the Sky
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Mission to ‘Mars’
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Epic Flight: The Whales of Baja
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Dream Come True
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Can Airshows Come Back?
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Techniques
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Airframe
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Avionics
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - State and Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Member Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - AOPA Insurance Agency
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2014 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot0308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com