Engine failure is not a good thing to experience, but it can and does happen. Engine failure while flying over a large body of low-lying marine layer, especially here in California. It does not sound very comforting and can be very stressful and scary knowing you cannot see the ground even a place to land.

 

Aircraft:

• Piper Cherokee.

Pilot:

• Private Pilot with 130 hours total time

• Not Instrument Rated

 

Scenario:

You are en-route from Palomar airport (KCRQ) to Camarillo airport (KCMA) for an early lunch at the Waypoint Café. You are flying VFR direct at 6,500 feet with flight following from SoCal approach, above the low marine/fog layer.  You are about 12NM west of John Wayne airport (KSNA) when suddenly your engine quits. You complete the engine failure checklist and try to restart, no luck.

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Environment:

• METAR’s

  • KCMA 071755Z 27004KT 10SM CLR 21/01 A3011 RMK

  • KCRQ 071753Z 29003KT 10SM CLR 14/06 A3011 RMK

• FA Area Forecast

  • See Picture

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What do you do? 

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Leave your comments below

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