The day started on an ominous note. I awoke at about 9:00 am to low clouds and the famous Washington state drizzle. After getting some coffee and calling Flight service I was in a better state of mind. My eyes slowly opening with the jolt of caffeine and a cheery Flight service specialist chattering to me saying by the time I to depart on my cross country, conditions would be a lot better.
The time was early may 1990. the place was Boeing field This was to be a dual cross country. My old trusty instructor Hank wanted to do a dual cross country and he wanted to make this trip a dual purpose day and night cross country.
Hank was an "one of a kind" instructor. His age was in his mid to late 70's he was your typical old graybeard pilots pilot. Hank had been flying and instructing all his life and to him flying was like breathing, you just did it naturally.
Hank had some interesting if not rather un orthodox and sometimes strange methods in his instructing. Hank also had some interesting quirks. He would intentionally at times tell you to do something that didn't make sense to see if you were listening. An example is approaching an airport and a known runway would be in use. He would casually say to set up for runway 36 when it should be 18. He would wait a few seconds to see if I knew what runway I was supposed to use and to see if I caught him. It seemed a game at times and others I got an uneasy feeling he would really be confused.
This sort of drifty behavior continued all through my early hours of training. Hank had a strange type of personality and this type of behavior fit his persona. I was learning good safety habits as Hank was very safety conscience. I picked up tips tricks and all type of aviating practices based on a long career of instructing.
I had planned this cross country to fly in two legs. The first to be completed during daylight and the second to be completed at night. The first leg was from Boeing field to Olympia, To Kelso, to Hillsboro Oregon. The return leg was to be from Hillsboro to Astoria To Ocean Shores Vor To Olympia to Boeing field. and this to be done at night.
We left Boeing field and headed south. hank informed me he wanted to do a touch and go at every airport opportunity on the way. My thoughts were "I'll never get to Oregon at that rate". We did touch and go's at Olympia, Toledo, Kelso, Centralia, Scappoose and we finally landed at Hillsboro right at dusk.
After landing and finding a place to park the plane we decided we were going to walk across the street to a restaurant and have some dinner before returning home.
As we were walking along crossing the street I asked hank a question and when he didn't respond I turned my head to ask him again and he wasn't beside me. Hank had just fallen face first in the middle of this busy street. I went to Hank and he was starting to get to his feet. I helped him to his feet and he was insisting he was all right and nothing was wrong. He had a rather nasty cut on his forehead and scrapes on his hands. He wanted to continue to the restaurant as he said he thought he was weak from not eating. Upon arriving at the restaurant he was immediately surrounded by the female waitresses whom were more than eager to clean his cut forehead and bandage it. We then had dinner and I was observing a "normal Hank" He said he was feeling better and that he had just gotten weak from not eating. We finished dinner and went back to the airport.
On the way back to the airport Hank said preflight the plane and then come and get him from the FBO. He went in to the FBO and laid down on the couch. I did a preflight and got charts out and everything all set. I walked back to the FBO and Hank was in the fetal position on the couch. I told him "Lets go" and with my help shuffled out to the plane.
Hank was not talkative like usual when we took off from Hillsboro. Hank slid lower in the seat and just leaned against the window. At this point in my training I was comfortable flying the plane and actually enjoying the flight. I did a touch and go at Astoria and watched the ships in the Aberdeen harbor., Next was north at Olympia and then in to Boeing Field. the weather had gotten progressively better all afternoon and. at night it was calm and visibility was great.
I had just finished turning north over Olympia when Hank switched on and sat bolt upright in his seat. "Where the hell you think your going?" was the words uttered from his mouth. Hi Hank, Have a good nap? We are over Olympia northbound and be back at Boeing soon. I said. Bullshit, Hank said. That's not Seattle, And your going south not north! Hank!!! I said. You have been checked out since Hillsboro we are almost home. See, look at the whiskey compass. North Huh? Look ahead that's Puget sound. there is Tacoma, Up north is Seattle.. Oh, Oh, Can't pull one on ya eh Said Hank. No hank, not tonight. Hank seemed to settle down and just relaxed but didn't say anything more.
I am coming up on the north tip of Vashon Island. I have copied Atis and have "The numbers" It is around 11:00PM and I call Boeing Tower. The tower tells me to proceed inbound and to call them when I arrive at The West Seattle Reservoir. As I reach the Reservoir I didn't need to call the tower they called me with the following: "Cessna 123AB proceed inbound, enter right traffic runway 13 right, enter on the Base leg, Altimeter 29.72 Wind calm. Cleared to land. Roger Boeing tower, Cessna 123AB.
That was great news. A nice easy approach and on the ground and to the bathroom in no time. I proceeded to make pre landing checks and reduce speed and set up for Base to 13 right. Everything is going good looking good and I am smiling. All of a sudden Hank did his set bolt upright in his seat and started yelling "What the hell are you doing" "Your going the wrong way" "Where do you think you are going?" With that Hank grabs the yoke and put us in a steep turn to the right. We are swinging around to be pointed the wrong way on downwind. I am yelling to Hank we were cleared to base. He says "that isn't what they said. I yelled again Yes it was. About then the radio comes to life and the Tower is Calling.. Cessna123AB "Are you having difficulties"? Hank then jumps on the radio and says Boeing tower we ah had a confused student here but we are ok now and will return to the correct attitude. With that Hank says "Your Airplane" and lets go of the controls.
I start corrective actions to get back on course and maintain altitude and am on downwind abeam the numbers trying to stabilize the approach when Hank comes back online again. Your too fast and too late. Abeam the numbers, flaps 10 power 2200 Hank says all this in a second and then proceeded to reduce power and throw out Flaps.
No matter we are already starting with a deficit of altitude because of his earlier maneuvers. I yell at Hank again and ask him to just set back and I will land the airplane and we can discus anything he wants. he just looks blankly ahead. I am now just trying to get pointed to the runway and the hell with any pattern. Hank gets agitated and yells "Key position" Flaps 20" Hank then proceeds to put the flap lever to 20. Down we are going. I try to reach the flap lever but hank has his hand covering it. I am yelling now asking hank what he is doing? He just keeps staring blankly ahead with his hand on the flap lever. I keep adding power and cranking on trim and keep looking for the end of the runway. I have the end in sight and it looks like we might make it when hank Yells again Flaps Full!! He dumped full flaps in the little 150 in that model full flaps were 40 deg. we were coming down like an elevator and when I added full power we were behind the curve and wallowing all over low and slow. I don't know how I managed but I was able to land on the runway and the tower just said "turn left when able and taxi to NE parking, Goodnight"
I was shaking and furious as we were taxing back to parking. Hank didn't say a word he just had a blank stare. As I stopped the airplane in the parking spot. Hank switched on, Looked at me and said "Secure the airplane and come on in to the office and we will debrief. With that he jumps from the plane and went to the office, unlocked it and went in. I secured the plane and tried to calm down before I went inside. I was angry, scared and confused. What had happened to Hank? This was just too way out for him...I secured the plane and was walking up to the front door of the FBO when Hank comes out the door, looks over at me and says "Got to run catch ya in the morning before we fly to debrief". With that he got in his car and drove off. I might add that he left the FBO wide open with all the lights on and nothing locked. I was dumbfounded to say the least. I went inside, turned the lights out and secured the FBO for the night.
The next day I went down to the FBO early. I wanted to talk to the owner and tell him of the strange turn of events. The owner of the FBO was shocked to hear the story. he said we would have a talk and see what was going on when hank arrived for our lessons. Hank never showed up. The owner of the FBO asked me to fly with "Tim" the young guy till we figured out what was going on.
About 10 days had elapsed since the cross country incident and it seemed Hank had fallen off the edge of the planet. No one had seem him and no one had heard from him. About then one of his relatives stopped by the FBO to pick up Hanks personal stuff. It seemed that after flying with me that night. Hank went home walked in the front door and went into Gran Mall Seizures. He was rushed to the hospital and eventually diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. I was told it was the size of a golf ball.
The unfortunate down side of this is we lost a truly talented individual due to unforeseen medical conditions. I learned later he never had a clue as to how sick he was. His AME never saw it coming. Hank was a wonderful individual and I am thankful for the hours we spent together flying.
Copywrite 1990-2008
Return to Airplanes