new captain upgrade, notams and turning radius

For some reason I thought of this story the other day. From back early in my medevac career, when I had just returned from simulator training in Orlando and was about to be set loose on the line as captain. This was my captains last day at work with us, he was leaving for the airlines the next day.

We flew our assigned missions, and then returned to base. We still had quite a few hours left in our duty day, so when we called MATC to report our return it wasn't much of a surprise that they had managed to find a bit more work for us to do.

Since I was about to become a full time captain, Captain Big Bars (his nickname, he even called himself that) decided that I would act as captain for this trip. And the first link in the chain is set.

I call FSS to get the wx, and get them to fax it to me with the notams. We had been already flying all around that area previously, so I took a quicker look than I should have.

We depart for XXX.

As we are getting our descent clearance to the small airport (just cleared out of controlled airspace, it was screaming vfr) the controller happens to ask if we have the notam for XXX about the taxiway.

My heart skips a beat. It's my leg to fly, so BB pulls out the paperwork....

The only taxiway off the runway has collapsed, and they have placed a metal plate over it. However, that is limited to a max of 5000lbs.

Oh crap. Double crap. ARGH.

I want to crawl under my seat. I can feel the glare burning a hole in me.

However, the airport is not busy, in fact we are the only aircraft around, and it is a code 4, which means critical so we decide we can land, make calls on the frequency while staying on the runway and load the patient and get out of there quick.

Seems like a good plan, so I land and taxi to the end where the taxiway is.

The ambulance isn't there yet, so we wait with engines running listening to the radio.

Then we hear it. A training aircraft inbound for a touch and go.

Now I have to say it. My thought was to tell them our situation and get them to go elsewhere. I mean, it wasn't like they were landing, and we were picking up a critical patient, seemed logical to me.

But BB decided otherwise. He decides that we are going to get out of the way and go onto the taxiway. We can then turn around, should be tight, but doable.

So I move the throttles and turn left onto the taxiway.

The training aircraft does its touch and go and is gone again.

And we are in a MU2 on a rather narrow taxiway. Really narrow. With a metal plate ahead we cannot cross, and soft, soft ground on either side of this very narrow taxiway.

Again it is decided that we must do something about this now.

This is where things go wrong for the last time.

All but one of our MU2's had props that rotated counterclockwise. So all but one of them have a tighter turning radius while turning left. 104' vs 112'.

And guess which one we had?

I am told to make a left turn. I don't notice the error either.

I start the turn, get the right tire as close to the edge of the pavement as I can. At some point big bars decides I am not doing it right, and takes control. We round the 90deg mark...you can tell we aren't going to make it. But sometimes you hope? I'm not sure why it was not stopped then. But it wasn't. The throttles were pushed further forward.

And man...we almost made it.

And then the right main went off the edge. And started to sink. Fast.

Quickly, shut down the engines before the prop hits the ground.

Then quiet. For a second.

Until we had to get out of our half sinking airplane and try to shore it up.

It sank on that side until the tip tank was just about touching the ground.

Our paramedic called the fire department to see if they could help us stabilize it and get it out. He requested that they please do not use lights and sirens.

A few minutes later I heard the sirens...shortly after that I saw the lights. Oh fantastic.

Then the town reporter showed up. Poor big bars was having the worst last day ever. I ordered a pizza and got a ride to go and pick it up. I thought it was for the best..lol.

After many hours, much help from a nearby AMO, and much embarrassment we finally were ready to leave.

And a line of thunderstorms blocked our path, so we could only make another destination before we have to call it a night and get a hotel and make it to the bar for last call.

So lessons learned.
1) Always, always, always check the NOTAMS thoroughly
2) know what airplane you have, and why things like turning radius might come in handy...
3) don't rush. think. Then act. you know, like you are taught. ;)