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A close call at Alyeska

rojo

Registered User
Well, not life threatening or anything.

This happened nearly 50 years ago.

I was building time for my commercial, and my dad (owner of the Cessna dealership at Phillips Field in Fairbanks) let me take our 180 on skis to Alyeska ski area south of Anchorage. I was surprised to find the Girdwood airport unused, with a couple feet of snow, but I plowed into the parking area and turned to face the runway before I shut down. I was only 18 years old and green as all get out. It was my first ski flight other than helping dad with airdrops up the Salcha where we would land on a frozen swamp, take off the door, and do the drop to a remote miner etc.

It was nice clear weather, the skiing was great. But after noon I notice a fog bank creeping up Turnagain Arm. I decided I'd better get going or be fogged in, so I skied down to the airport, loaded up my gear, and started the plane. Which would not move, in spite of full power and some enthusiastic banging up and down on the elevator. So I left the plane running, jumped out and rocked the wings for a while. Got back in, still wouldn't move.

I got out again, and by now the fog was starting to move over the airport. I lifted the tail and pushed with all my might. The skis moved, just barely. I got back in, and with full throttle the plane began creeping forward. The fog was coming in overhead, but the view of the mountains was still clear to the east, and I managed to get into my landing tracks, put on full flaps and lift off.

I climbed up and over the mountains, and found the fog to be completely covering the arms, and Anchorage. So, having started with full fuel, I simply flew back to Fairbanks, with a good lesson learned. I was lucky to get it moving, and to be in a place where overnighting would not involve winter camping.

I must say, even as a super cub owner, the Cessna 180 is a fantastic plane, fast, economical, and roomy. The cub is slow, cramped, economical, and even more fun to fly. And what a sweet floatplane they make!
 
Thanks for the cool story! Girdwood fog moves in fast and usually stays put. I cant imagine you had much for daylight at that point either.
 
Similar happened to with a Luscombe only to started to move and I couldn't catch it fortunately it ran into a snowbank I was a low time pilot and it was a borrowed airplane sometimes you just get lucky
 
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