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I had just returned BFU's amphibian Beaver back to PAKT when I saw this job posted. I decided I'd take Tripod's Charter Service's amphibian this time around. However, on the way up to Wrangell, I had an electrical failure and lost everything except for a handful of instruments. Then my compass went. Somehow I found my way to the TCS Base, did a flapless water landing, docked it, and got in the "Yellow Jacket," TCS's newly repainted black and yellow Wheel/Ski Beaver. That's what I ended up taking to Wrangell and flying the job in.
So anyways, I met the sightseer at the ramp at Wrangell at 1230. The weather wasn't the greatest it could be, but I figured it would be good enough to see Devil's Thumb. After a few minutes we were packed and ready. I started it up, set the flaps, listened to the ATIS drone on, turned, and taxied to the active (runway 10). After announcing my intentions, I turned onto the runway, pushed the throttle forward, and let the plane pick itself up off the asphalt.
Soon after I turned and headed towards the peak climbing for 10,000 feet on a heading of 330.
After we came up on it, I slowed the Beaver down to 65 MPH and let the passenger get a good look at the peak.
After she was ready to move on, I turned east and headed off towards Telegraph Creek.
Landing there would become a nightmare. After we went through the mountains for about 30 minutes, I found Telegraph Creek with the help of the GPS. It's on the left edge of the screenshot.
I entered the pattern on base, and noticed a heavy crosswind which would make things interesting. I had no idea how interesting it would be. As I began my turn on final, I got tossed several hundred feet off and missed the approach. I went around, got tossed again, this time not as bad, and held a semi-final. I pushed the throttle as far forward as I was comfortable with, but it wasn't enough to reach the runway. Here I am before touchdown on the ground next to the gravel.
Here's where I actually touched.
After I got the thing stopped, I turned it around and parked it a little ways away from the runway.
I met the miners, and the sightseer moved to another seat so they could sit together. After everything and everyone was ready, we turned around and made the bumpy ride to the runway. After flaps were set, I turned onto the gravel as I told anyone who was listening what I was doing. I pushed the throttle up, and the plane started rolling. Just before it was OK to pull it up, the wind caught the plane, picked up the left wheel, and nearly flipped the thing sideways.
After regaining control of it, I began making my way out. The plan was to follow the Stikine River back to Wrangell. At first it worked.
Not for long. The river went on up the mountain and the mountain went on up into the clouds. After studying the map for a minute, I decided to climb high...very high, and head due south until the Sumner Strait NDB picked up on the ADF. Here I am after breaking out on top of the cloud layer, on my way up to 12,000 feet.
Soon after, the ADF caught the signal from Sumner Strait and I followed that for a while, cruising at 12,000.
As the light faded, I began the long descent down to pattern altitude at Wrangell, then got lost in the islands. I looked at the GPS and saw I had passed it. I rounded an island, and entered on crosswind for runway 28 at PAWG. As we came close on final, I got a little too low and held the plane about 20 feet above the ground until I knew I was past the threshold. Then I let it drop.
Rollout was short, as usual, and after a minute or two, we got to the taxiway. I turned off, let everyone know I was clear, and taxied to parking. There I shut it down and let everyone out.
I took the miners' pay, and after they were out of earshot, I took the sightseer's pay, then gave half back because of the crappy landing at Telegraph Creek. As everyone disappeared, I went inside and decided to look for a place to stay overnight. It's too dark to go anywhere now.
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