Had a familiar 118 pounder in the right seat for the trip, wanting dropped off at Rainy Pass. We were just skirting the tops at 12,500 and it was beautiful above. Couldn't go down due to weather, TCU overcast. Approaching McGrath the ASOS was reporting wind calm, visibility 3 and a few at 1500.
Descended into the muck just like a muck diver, going down to 6500. Had planned on intercepting the 10 GPS arch and follow it around to the centerline. Inside of the 25 GPS circle the MCA is 5300 pending centerline intercept then down to 2100. "Remain within 10nm". Who writes this stuff. It's dammed hard to loose from 5300 to 2100 in four miles or less in a Beaver. Anyway I hate seeing all those trees rushing up at me. I have to stand it on it's nose to go down normally.
I was expecting the approach to be a piece of cake right up to the time the GPS reset and indicated 6834nm to ---- with a 0 degree heading. The aroroa was below and lighting up the tree tops so why not press on. Never saw the runway lights clear until about half a mile only kept having the impression that I was seeing something man made on the wind screen just next to the compass. I needed something to aim at anyway so why not, that is why they pay the pilots the big bucks isn't it. I had been holding the GPS course of 158 easily up to that point.
After what seemed like an eternity holding with it in the same place on the wind screen, I was about to decide it was bug guts or something. Then again it would look so nice and straight on both sides with a tie bar on the bottom, I couldn't let go of it. Had no place else to go, burnt about half the fuel getting here. Maybe Unalakleet only the weather there is usually horrendous this time of year. Then !!!
What to my amazement should appear ... no, not Santa and his slay but the runway lights clear as a bell. My passenger being an ex-pilot was having hissy fits by this time. Anyway an uneventful landing, and I spotted it next to the OPS shack waiting for daylight.
Now We have to find something to do in McGrath until day light. No, No, NO; ... no tootsie rolls for me in McGrath, too close to home and too many eyes around. I hope they have Maxwell house here, that chicory coffee is curling what few hairs I still have left on my head. I am having to glue them down with bear grease and it is messing up all my hats.
Total Time 01:38
07/02/04 2100z UTC-6 (Sim 07/02/04/ 1538z) Flight: Transition.
DHC2 Beaver Tradewind Alaska N202TA
PANC<1400z - 1538z>PAMC 01:38
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