Something just doesn't feel right - loss of engine during flight

Approach, March, 2003 by John Allison

I declared an emergency and immediately received vectors to the final approach course for the PAR. The last remaining hurdle was descending from 4,000 feet to a point where I could receive commands from the final controller. Since I was so close to the field, my profile closely resembled a falling rock. This situation definitely was not ideal, especially since I had to keep the left engine above 85 percent to avoid a MECH reversion of the flight controls, and I still was in IMC. Eventually, I received PAR commands and saw the threshold lights at a mile. I was aiming for the shortfield gear and was elated to feel the jet decelerate and finally stop. Although the other jets were low on fuel, they landed uneventfully.

The entire flight started out as a good-deal BFM flight, albeit with marginal weather at the field. My original emergency was not that serious, and I felt we had a good game plan to get all the Hornets on deck. A combination of single-runway operations, bad weather, numerous aircraft airborne, saturated approach control, and a deteriorating situation with my aircraft all contributed to a stressful event for everyone.

Considering our fuel states and the requirement for each of us to shoot an approach, it would have been prudent to divert more aircraft to Yokota earlier in the evolution. I felt our bingo-fuel numbers were more than adequate for our RTB profile, an approach, and a divert. We actually started our trip home above our conservative bingo-fuel state. However, all the unforeseen complications involved with operating out of NAF Atsugi reared their ugly heads at one time and quickly put most of us in the proverbial hurt locker. The best we can do is prepare for each flight, use ORM, concentrate on execution once airborne, and adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

Lt. Allison flies with VFA-192.