Written by Bob Von Bargen

It was just another cargo mission in “Old Shaky.”  The C-124’s engines roared as we climbed to altitude from Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. We were enroute to Panama with an oversized load of artillery pieces for the U.S. Army in the Canal Zone. The Howitzer canons were lashed securely to the cargo floor in the cavernous cargo compartment.

We reached cruise altitude and the crew completed the level off checklist. Major Fred Handelsman, the navigator, took a heading check on the compass system and prepared for his first celestial fix about an hour down track. I was Fred’s instructor; I observed him as he worked.

MSGT Bob Cramer, the flight engineer, monitored the aircraft’s systems and scrutinized the engines as he recorded data in his flight log. Captain Joe Weinschenk, the Aircraft Commander completed the mandatory check in with Oceanic Air traffic Control and set the airplane on the heading to Panama.

About an hour later, Bob Cramer announced on interphone that he did not like the way number two engine, the inboardengine on the left side, was acting. He said that there was nothing specific that he could define, but recommended that the engine should be shut down.

Many Aircraft Commanders, absent precise reasons why an engine should be shut down, would say: “Well, watch it a while and let me know how it acts.” But not Weinschenk, He respected the professionalism of Bob Cramer and the expertise of Flight Engineers in general. He replied: “If you think we should cage it, let’s do it. ‘ENGINE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST’ ” as he turned the big C-124 back toward Puerto Rico.

At this point Fred Handelsman quickly calculated flying time to potential emergency landing fields. Ramey AFB was the closest. As Weinschenk was talking to Oceanic control to obtain an emergency clearance back to Ramey, the Loadmaster in the cargo compartment, SMSGT Jim Clark, called out on interphone: “There’s black smoke coming out of number one engine.” (The outboard engine on the left side of the airplane) Cramer checked his gauges and saw that oil pressure was dropping rapidly on Number one.” He announced: “Oil pressure drop on number one. That’s not smoke, it’s oil. We have a broken oil line. That’s oil is streaming out from the engine. We have to shut it down before it seizes” Weinschenk commanded:  SHUT DOWN NUMBER ONE”.   Sergeant Clark, watching from a window at the rear of the aircraft, reported that the black stream had stopped.

Now we were in a pickle. Both engines on the left side of the aircraft had failed. This was not a simulated emergency that we routinely practiced… it was the real thing! Two engines out on the same side of the aircraft was serious business. Weischenk immediately pushed the throttles up on the two engines on the right side of the aircraft. The aircraft yawed in response, and the bird wanted to turn to the left. He applied rudder to keep the aircraft flying straight. The resulting drag, caused by the surface of the large rudder, reduced our airspeed. It became apparent that we must descend to maintain flying speed. Fred Handelsman and I quickly calculated our rate of descent against the time required to reach Ramey. Initial calculations indicated that we would not make it. But, as the air became thicker as we descended it appeared that it was going to be close. We prepared for ditching at sea.

I went down into the cargo compartment to talk with Jim Clark about jettisoning items from the aircraft to lighten the load. The cannons were too large. They had been loaded through the front clam shell doors and would not fit through the door in the floor of the aircraft. Our only other cargo was the U.S. Mail. Clark said he would throw himself out before he dropped out any mail. We had to fly with what we had … there was no alternative.

We limped toward Ramey … Bob Cramer manipulating the throttles. As the air cooled, 24 cylinder power plants strained under the high power setting, the cylinder head temperature rose into the red zone. Cramer opened the engine cowl flaps to allow cooling air to lower the engine temperature. The open cowl flaps created additional drag … and the airspeed dropped. Weinschenk lowered the nose to maintain flying speed. It was a test of flying skill … playing cylinder head temperature against cowl flaps opening … against airspeed and altitude.

Oceanic Control advised that an Air-Sea Rescue SA-16 flying boat had been dispatched from the Coast Guard Air Station in Puerto Rico and it appeared off our right wing when we were about 100 miles out. The Coast Guard “Shrimp Boat” held formation with us until we reached the coast of Puerto Rico.

We were at 10,000 feet when we turned around … we were now below 1,000 feet and barely holding on as we reached the glide slope for the airfield.

Cramer and Weinschenk agreed to restart the left outboard engine with the oil leak when we got close to the runway. This would give us a three engine approach and enhance the chance of a successful landing. At no time was a restart of the inboard engine considered.

As we neared the runway we could see a crowd of people standing along the flight ramp. I guess they came out to watch the crash. We disappointed them! Joe maneuvered the airplane to a gentle touch down and Cramer had the oil starved engine shut down before we slowed on the runway.

After we turned off onto a taxiway and stopped to wait for a tug to tow us into a parking spot, I said to Joe, “That was a great job, but you made one mistake!” “Oh, what was that?” he queried. “You didn’t call the Command Post”, I smiled. (Joe and I had both flown in the Strategic Air Command where flight crews were required to obtain permission from their highly centralized management structure on practically everything.) Joe grinned and said: “Well Bob, I would have called the Command Post, but my mind was on sex.” “Your mind was on sex?” I asked incredulously. “Yes”, he replied, “All I could think of is…. We’re screwed!”  (Only that his actual verbiage was a bit more profane!)

After we finished filling out a myriad of required reports and phoning the Coast Guard crew to thank them, we proceeded to the Club and had a few stiff drinks and a good meal to celebrate.

Epilogue

It is interesting to note that an inspection of the inboard engine proved that it was about to encounter catastrophic internal failure. Cramer was correct. If he had not shut it down, we would not have made it back safely.