Brings back some memories
And sorry if I already posted this here...
So the year was 1994, I think late spring, early summer.
Took off from Conroe airport in my Star-Lite SL-1 (low wing, single passenger, tail dragger) and was just out buzzing around over Lake Conroe.
Was probably about 20, 30 minutes into my flight, a little over 1,000' feet up when the engine said "Good night".
No sputter, cough, last dying gasp, ...
Nothing.
Just dies.
So instincts kick in: settle into best glide rate, try to restart engine (nope, didn't), and look for place to land.
Now the good thing is, the plane had (key word) a low stall speed (about 28 mph) and could glide for quite a while.
So I had some time.
I thought to myself, nope, don't want to try landing in Walden, too many overhead lines.
Landing in the water with fixed gear is iffy. Many times the gear will catch the water and flip you over onto the lid.
And I lived in April Sound at the time, and there was a lot of undeveloped plots on the south end of the subdivision, near 105.
So that's what I aimed for.
Unfortunately, I wasn't quite high enough, and wasn't going to make it to that area.
So I headed towards hole #8, a long par 5 with a slight dogleg right (I was "playing" the hole backwards)
Everything was going well, and as I started flaring for the landing, looking to clear the area (yes, I see you on the tee, dropping your club and your jaw), everything going great.
Well, a last minute correction to raise out of my slip (no flaps on plane), my left wing tip hooked a mound on the side of the fairway, and I cartwheeled to a stop, flipped over onto the plane's canopy.
Next thing I remember, voices saying "You need to get out of there" (No sheyat). And they reach up and unsnap the 4-pt harness, which lets me promptly fall back onto my head (again)
Walked (stumbled) away a bit dazed, and ended up with about 5 stitches in my head.
Unfortunately the plane didn't fare as well. Totaled.
And it was a plane a dear friend and I had built over the years. I did get quite a few good flying hours out of it before this event though.
And no, I ain't, this isn't no MFBarnes story