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I WAS FLYING AT 3000 FT AGL
ENROUTE ON A 1 HOUR FLIGHT
VFR WHEN A CYLINDER ON THE FRONT ENGINE CAME LOOSE FROM THE BLOCK
MAKES A LOT OF NOISE SO I QUICKLY DETERMINED IT WAS THE FRONT ENGINE
I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND KNEW THERE WAS AN AIRPORT JUST 10 MILES AWAY
IN IDAHO THAT'S PRETTY RARE BUT I HAPPEN TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME
I QUICKLY LOWERED THE GEAR AS I FEATHERED THE PROP AND SHUT DOWN THE FRONT ENGINE
AS I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND CAUGHT UP WITH MY HEART RATE I RELIZED WITH THE LIGHT LOAD THAT I HAD THE AIRPLANE FLEW VERY NICELY ON THE REAR ENGINE
I ACCTUALLY DEBATED IF I SHOULD LAND AT THE AIRPORT 10 MILES AWAY OR PROCEED ON TO MY DESTINATION 40 MILES AHEAD
AFTER THINKING ABOUT THAT FOR ABOUT A HALF A SECOND I LANDED AT THE AIRPORT THAT WAS 10 MILES AWAY AND KISSED THE GROUND
THE AIRPLANE HANDLED JUST FINE
NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE OR THE ENGINE
A NEW JUG AND I FLEW IT BACK HOME A WEEK LATER
WITH AN ENGINE FAILURE AND THE GEAR RETRACTED THE BEST SOULUTION IS TO REMAIN CALM, THINK OUT YOUR PROCEEDURES, AND FLY THE AIRPLANE TO THE CLOSEST AVAILABLE RUNWAY
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