Friday, January 2, 2009

Seattle - Sanderson / Cessna 182RG II (N7109V) / VFR

After my jaunts to Paine and SeaTac, I decided to take one more flight at dusk out to Sanderson. I departed from 16R and turned west looking for the 230 radial from SEA. Unfortunately another pilot talked to me at this point on the radio and I lost my situational awareness; I had to weave back and forth a bit afterwards to try to find my radial. I finally got it, though.

The weather was quite cloudy and misty and deteriorating. I tuned to the Mason County NDB as well as riding the radial so that I wouldn't miss the airport, and a short distance from the airport I turned directly towards the NDB, as crossing the NDB pretty much aligned me with the runway at Sanderson.

Landing was unremarkable and smooth. The sun had just slipped below the horizon as I parked on the ramp. Flying after dark in the Cessna makes me nervous if it's over areas with mountains but no well-lit towns.