EMERGENCY LANDING AT AIRPORT

Editor, The Sun:

Wednesday, March 22, was an eventful day for the Ercoupe folks at the Wakulla County Airport (2J0) near Panacea.
Jim Piche made two additional flights on that sunny mild day, making these the second and third flights since the first Ercoupe flight at 2J0 on Monday, Feb. 27.
While Jim was putting the Ercoupe through its paces in the skies over 2J0, the two ground crew members, Randy Robinson and Richard Travis, heard over their VHF radios a call from a Cessna 150 pilot announcing his intent to make an unscheduled stop at the Wakulla County Airport.
The C-150 pilot made an approach from the north to runway 18, and upon landing, taxied his aircraft to a full stop by the hangars. A young man and woman egressed – colleagues from the DeLand area north of Orlando, both having pilot certificates.
En route from Colorado Springs to DeLand, the couple had just refueled the C-150 at Apalachicola, and shortly after debarking on their next leg encountered engine problems and chose to land at 2J0 as it was the closest airfield. The couple had just picked up the aircraft in Colorado. Although new owners to that aircraft, the couple were not novice pilots. The young man was an Embry-Riddle graduate whose day-job was flying a corporate Gulfstream. The young woman was a CFI who, coincidentally, was experienced with the Ercoupe, among other airplanes.
After Jim landed the Ercoupe, the three Tally Flyz Flying Club members joined the young couple around the C-150, providing them with the screwdrivers needed for removing the cowling. The young man described the unusual engine noise that led to their unplanned landing, and the group discussed a number of possible issues while examining the engine up close. A check of the fuel revealed no water contamination.
Not finding anything requiring specific correction, and thanking the Ercoupe guys for their help, the couple decided to run-up the C-150’s engine, and as they encountered no follow-up engine issues on the ground, took off to complete their long cross-country journey back to DeLand.
Once the C-150 had departed, Jim got back into the Ercoupe for its second flight of the day, putting in an additional half hour for the logbooks.
The young female pilot reported by text message later that afternoon that they safely made it back to DeLand with the C-150 not exhibiting any further engine problems.

Richard Travis
Former President
Experimental Aircraft Association
Chapter 445