128. Blinded by Oil

128. Blinded by Oil

From I Learned About Flying From That by Flying Magazine

May 6, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

Bill English shares a harrowing experience of an engine failure during a training flight in a Cessna 172.

In Episode 128 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri welcomes Bill English, a veteran pilot, flight instructor, and former NTSB accident investigator with over 40 years of aviation experience. Bill recounts a harrowing situation while flying a Cessna 172 that had just undergone a major engine overhaul. Setting out on a cross-country training flight with two CFI trainees, the crew noticed what appeared to be water condensation on the windshield shortly after takeoff. The "rain" quickly worsened, turning into a brown film that completely obscured the front windshield. They soon realized a plug in the engine's hollow crankshaft had blown out, spraying hot oil all over the aircraft's fuselage. Tune in to hear the full breakdown of the emergency, plus vital lessons learned.

People in this episode

Host: Carl Valeri

Guest: Bill English

Topics covered

  • aviation safety
  • pilot training
  • engine failure
  • emergency procedures
  • flight instructor experiences

Keywords

  • aviation
  • engine overhaul
  • Cessna 172
  • NTSB
  • flight training
  • emergency landing
  • pilot experience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NTSB

Products: Cessna 172

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