Junk Bucket My third flying job in as many years was with Apollo Airways, a cancelled check carrier of the Midwest. I hadn’t flown a Beech 18 in almost twelve months and wasn’t exactly thrilled about going back to freight dog nocturnal life style again, but I had no other employment options available. They needed an experienced Twin Beech captain and I needed a job. I was hired over the phone. It was Valentine’s Day, 1975, when I was introduced to N152JB, the E18S straight tail dragger that chief pilot Dave Kuchera would be providing my initial training in. Like many of the planes I have flown, this one had a nickname derived from its registration number: Junk Bucket. And names are never wrong. Outwardly she looked OK albeit in desperate need of a bath and shine. Inwardly she was a tired disarray of instrumentation with a hotchpotch of switches. After a briefing, preflight and run-up, it was time for Dave and me to take off. As I carefully advance the throttles, the Wasp Juniors’ throaty growl and the Ham-stand propellers’ low pitch sound announced “Here we go, no turning back now”. As Junk Bucket gained speed, the whole plane began to rattle and shake terribly. I had flown many a ratty Twin Beech before during my airmail days, but this one felt like she was going to fall apart before we even had a chance to get airborne. A year of flying commuter Beech 99’s had already spoiled me and I felt deserving of a better job and plane. My career was taking a step backward, not forward. With throttles now matched at takeoff power and the tail ready to rise, I heard a little voice in my head repeating, “I’m a pilot whore; I’m a pilot whore, I’ll do anything to keep a flying job”. Oh, Junk Bucket knew my kind well, replying, “That’s right, Tom. I’m no pretty pink airplane. I’m a beast and I’ll spank your ass if you don’t spank me first!” I kept her right on centerline, my Beech 18 skills surprisingly still in tact. Those nice thick wings lifted us like a slow freight elevator into a dreary February sky, and for the next three hours we got to know one another well enough. She was a workhorse, aged beyond her years. And I was young pilot back in an old saddle. The next day, Junk Bucket and I passed our 135 PIC check ride with the FAA. With many planes in Apollo’s fleet, and having been awarded a very nice turbine Westwind I just one week later for my run, I only flew Junk Bucket occasionally. It was with apprehension and dismay when I did have to fly her because she was without a doubt the very worse Beech 18 I had ever flown. Not a nice thing to say about an aircraft that I’m very proud to have flown and mastered, but it was the truth. This was somewhat odd, too, being newer than C-45’s and D models, which were usually the awful ones. Obviously, she had been worked hard and perhaps mishandled in the past. My last flight in her was on March 23, 1977. I never knew what Apollo did with it when they began “modernizing” their fleet with Aero Commanders and parted ways with Junk Bucket, nor did I care. I was glad this beat up gal was gone. That was many years ago. Now that I am older and I can look back on my flying career, it is with pride I speak of the Beech 18, a tiger of a plane to handle on the ground, but a steadfast truck in the air. Although I had taken photos along my journey, sadly there wasn’t one of Junk Bucket. So, as part of an effort to find all my lost aluminum winged children, I recently found one photo….and some history that helps explain why Junk Bucket was so junky. Yes, she had been in a bad accident before I met her. Even more amazing was the fact that Junk Bucket had suffered substantial damage just two nights after my last flight in her. I never knew it! Apollo must have tidied up the scene quickly, keeping it quiet from the other pilots. What follows is the accident history of N152JB. May she rest in peace and thankfully she never killed anybody. Dates Event Constructed as an E18S. Beech E18S BA295 To Gutow Jeffrey K, San Carlos, CA with c/r N152JB (E18S, BA295). By 23 October 1968 To unknown owner with c/r N152JB. On 23 October 1968 Involved in an incident. Summarized NTSB narrative from report number FTW69A0029: There were no fatalities. Incident occurred at 02:30 hours. The damage was substantial. Incident occurred at the Drake Airport, Fayetteville, AR. The aircraft nosed over during the landing rollout. The factors included; previous damage. The emergency circumstances included; precautionary landing on airport and suspected mechanical discrepancy. Report remarks include: Right gear torque knee cylinder separated from yoke on previous t/o... For a complete description of the event read the NTSB Report. By 25 March 1977 To unknown owner with c/r N152JB. On 25 March 1977 Involved in an incident. Summarized NTSB narrative from report number CHI77FEC22: There were no fatalities. Incident occurred at 00:45 hours. The damage was substantial. Incident occurred at the Detroit City Airport, Detroit, MI. The flight departed from Fort Wayne, IN, with the destination Detroit, MI. The gear retracted during the landing rollout. Report remarks include: Drag link p/n 404-18845-6 failed. For a complete description of the event read the NTSB Report. On 23 April 1992 To Gutow Jeffrey K, San Carlos, CA with c/r N152JB (E18S, BA-295). On 30 March 1994 Civil registration, N152JB, cancelled. Deregistered.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:45:35 +0000
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