Linda, Very good news that you are OK, good job.
Kevin1 --- In [email protected], Linda Abrams <laspr...@...> wrote: > > Last Sunday, I had a safe off-airport landing, in a plowed field > near Merced airport, on my way home from the Columbia air show. No > injuries and no damage. At this time the cause appears to have been > a broken fuel line. For now, I've left the 'Coupe at the Merced > airport, where I'm letting the mechanics & FAA both do their jobs. > With no injuries and no damage, the TRACON told me it would be > reported as "off-airport landing" rather than an accident, so no NTSB > impound of the plane. But there's a time-sink's-worth of papers I > need to assemble for the FAA, and other stuff to do, so I'd greatly > appreciate it if everyone would p-l-e-a-s-e hold off on any questions > or speculations for now. More info to follow at a later time. > > I do want everyone to know how fantastically well the Ercoupe > network came through for me. We train for soft-field landings and > other emergencies, but I've never heard what to do next, when sitting > in an undamaged 'coupe in the middle of a field, and asking myself, > "Now what?!?" I called Dan Hall, my 'Coupe mentor and my predecessor > as EOC Region 7 Director, and I'm very grateful that Dan immediately > reached Rick Eason, an Ercouper based at Merced, who has just > completed a 2-yr. restoration of his second Ercoupe. Rick came out > to me within minutes, and I couldn't possibly ask for, nor even dream > of, anyone who could have been of more help or more knowledgeable or > more take-charge. Rick stuck with me the whole afternoon and well > into evening, went up & back to the airport, corral'd an A&P-pilot > friend of his, plus his own son-in-law and daughter, and with their > help -- plus that of a half-dozen farm workers and a backhoe, and the > cooperation of the farmers -- we got the 'Coupe turned around in the > furrows and dragged off the recently-plowed field. Then to Merced > airport, and into the hands of his A&P. All of this on Father's > Day! Rick lurks on this list, and I can't say it enough: THANK > YOU!!! Rick, you're my hero, and the Ercoupers rock! > > Linda > N3437H (Sky Sprite) > L.A. >
