PRECARIOUS LANDING SEIBEL-KANSAS

<your background>
2.Q What's been your most frightening thrill ever?
2.A 27,000 volt shock - more [here]

4.Q Tell me why you're not a sensible person.
4.A I am

5.Q What were you doing the last time you were really bored?
5.A Nothing

8.Q I always dreamt about being a paramedic, driving an ambulance and saving lives; what about you?
8.A No

<your thrill>
To answer these next 14 questions, you should think about a particular time you were thrilled.

9.Q Describe this thrill in a nutshell, in one sentence. (there's time to expand later)
9.A Landing my airplane in a 45 knot wind and having it blown upside down.

THE SETTING...
10.Q Where and when did it take place?
10.A April 2000 in St Joseph, Missouri, USA

11.Q Tell me a bit about yourself around this time.
11.A 49 years old Had been a pilot for 23 years.

PREPARATION...
12.Q How did the moment arise? Was it planned?
12.A It was not planned. Forecast called for winds of 25 knots when I left Tulsa, but when I arrived in St Joseph, they were 45 knots.

YOUR FEELINGS...
13.Q List the sequence of events leading up to your thrill, and how you felt at each stage. The smallest detail could be important (this is your chance to expand).
13.A I was very concerned about the wind, but since it was perfectly aligned with the runway, I landed anyway. It was while making a turn during taxi that the wind flipped the plane up on its nose and over. My first turn towards the hangar went well, which caused me to relax a bit and probably become somewhat complacent. In the next turn, the tail came up and the propeller began striking the pavement. That gave me a sick feeling. Then the tail came straight up and the airplane began to rotate. That happened so fast that I had little time to think about how I felt. Then the plane came crashing down on its back.

I had a slight headache from a bump on the head, but was glad everything had stopped. Then I knew I should get out quickly, in case of fire. Trying to undo my seatbelt and open the door while upside down was very confusing. Then as soon as I got the door open, the wind blew the contents of the airplane across the ramp, which was frustrating and humiliating.

16.Q What did you do immediately afterwards?
16.A Airport manager sent a car for me.

OTHER PEOPLE...
18.Q How were other people important to your thrill?
18.A Construction workers came running to see if I was OK.

19.Q What do you imagine other people were thinking throughout your thrilling episode?
19.A Glad it wasn’t them.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE...
22.Q If you've done something like this before, how does the last time compare to the first time you did it?
22.A The first time I flipped my airplane, the winds were less and the surface was mud instead of concrete, so it was not nearly as violent.

23.Q If you did it again, what things could be added or changed to make it even better?
23.A Don’t plan to do it again.

FINALLY...
Is there anything you want to add?
You can see more pictures [here]
You can read the accident report [here]

BE INTERVIEWED