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Rogers, Arkansas, Tuesday 7/26/05
Recap from the Pilot, Ron Maines (on that fateful day in Bangor, Maine)

Shortly after take off, the windshield became spotted, and then covered with engine oil. The weather had lifted somewhat, but we were faced with an emergency landing at 800 pounds over gross weight for the aircraft, something that I had not done, ever. I declared an emergency and the runway was cleared, and we were able to gently lower the aircraft to the ground, using over 4000 feet in the process. Fire trucks surrounded us, and I was hoping we could stay in the plane and be towed back to the line. The fire chief came over to the aircraft and gently explained to me that what he saw was a hot engine, covered with oil, and aircraft with 300 gallons of aviation fuel and two old guys in orange exposure suits sitting right in the middle of it all.

Did we want to become "crispy critters", or what?

We exited and the tail of the aircraft settled to the ground because of the center of gravity loading of the aircraft, the last of my pride settling along with the aircraft.

Looking at the scene from a safer distance, I decided that I was not doing a very good job as pilot in command of the flight. I had removed a specially fitted oil line to add oil to the engine at our stop and had neglected to replace it properly. It is something that happens to a large number of pilots sometime during their careers, most nearer the beginning of their flying, not the end. Certainly, not just before launching over the North Atlantic.

All the details and obstacles that we had overcome were in my mind as well as obstacles we still faced. We were told the previous day that there would be no fuel in the Marshall Islands, the stepping stones to Hawaii out of Indonesia, after confirming that there was the previous week. Going home through Japan, Korea, and Alaska had its own challenges that we had not prepared for.

Aircraft mishaps occur as several smaller things are overlooked or ignored on the way to the broken link that causes the mishap. No one thing is the cause, many things contribute. We take greater risks when we are behind, because the stakes increase as we proceed. Unless..we break the chain.....before it breaks us.

" I think we are done here, Dave."

We began the process of cleaning up the aircraft, defueling it to gross weight, and thinking through our situation. It was decided that Dave should continue to Nairobi via airlines and that I would return home. We expected hard work and challenge, however, we did not expect to use up all our "margin chips" during the first 24 hours. One must always have something left when one reaches into one's bag, and Ron did not have anything left in his bag. It is not a good thing to run out of altitude, airspeed, and ideas at the same time.

I am disappointed, that is a given. We had invested one year and our own funds in the flight. However, we were not the main event. The flight was a strategy for raising awareness, not the objective of the project. Dozens of people had prayed for our safety, and we are safe.

Often, we search for answers, when we already have outcomes. The story of The Shepherd's Home is not over. Dozens of children will have the opportunity for a stable life because hundreds of people did what they could do to help them.

"Flying is not inherently dangerous, but, like the sea, is unforgiving of human error."
Unknown Naval Aviator, circ, 1924.

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