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Cessna runs out of fuel before reaching Hawaii from California
HILO (HawaiiNewsNow) - Coast Guard crews rescued a pilot who ditched his plane about 13 miles off the Big Island because he ran out of fuel. Brian Mellor, 65, was flying a Cessna 310 twin-engine aircraft from Monterey, California to Hilo. He sent out a distress signal around 12:30 p.m. on Friday when he realized he was running low on fuel for the 2,200 mile journey. (www.hawaiinewsnow.com) Plus d'info...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Many a WWII bomber successfully completed a “low on fuel” over water flight by flying in ground effect flying within an altitude of one wingspan), a gutsy choice!
I thought about that possibility myself after reading the accounts of a bomber crew, think it was a B29, using that same trick after loosing two engines at just about the half way point. The obvious reduction in available power meant that they had to run the remaining two much harder and as I recall were not able for what ever reason to use the fuel on the dead wing.
Not sure what WX was over water during this day....flying close enough to water to use ground effect, within half a wingspan of the surface, would be quite a challenge for this sort of a distance.
Of course given the situation....I'd certainly give it a try.
Stefan
Not sure what WX was over water during this day....flying close enough to water to use ground effect, within half a wingspan of the surface, would be quite a challenge for this sort of a distance.
Of course given the situation....I'd certainly give it a try.
Stefan
For info - in terms of “Equal Time Point” - one of the longest over water routes in the world (if not the longest) is California to Hawaii. Other over water route destinations offer islands with which to divert to, but on a California to Hawaii flight there is nothing...
Wow what a brain to think that a Toyota could make it from NJ to NY
I wonder if you can "draft" a C-130 like you can a semi on the freeway?
I don't know what weather conditions prevailed that day, but an extra boost of headwind that day might have been all that mattered.
Not to state the obvious, but several unexpected MPH headwind over the course of a 2000+ mile journey adds to extra fuel consumption. If you don't have that extra fuel.....
Seeing the USCG video of Mellor's touch-down brought to mind Sullenberger's landing on the Hudson.