What Would Have Done?

[Joshrk22]

Here's an accident that happened relatively close to where I live. Fortunately no one was injured. My question is 'would you have landed it there?'. Me personally I would say "no", it seems like the pilot put more lives in danger landing it on the expressway, I would've set it down in a field. It's in Michigan so there are plenty of fields. Comments....

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

Landed on Hwy 40, between Needles and Barstow at 5AM one summer after the engine in the Beech Sierra quit..oil line blew and all oil ended up on belly and windshield.
Glad we picked the highway.
Not a scratch on the plane, any of us, or any car.
Some pissed off CHP officers who showed up 4 hrs later.

Would I have wanted to land OFF Highway? NO
No fields, only sand and brush and nasty terrain..not like a golfcourse.

Now, land on a crowded highway vs an empty field..you have some decissions to make....

 

[J.C.Airborne]

Here's an accident that happened relatively close to where I live. Fortunately no one was injured. My question is 'would you have landed it there?'. Me personally I would say "no", it seems like the pilot put more lives in danger landing it on the expressway, I would've set it down in a field. It's in Michigan so there are plenty of fields. Comments....

i dont think anyone can comment without knowing exactly what the terrain was around the freeway...generally though freeways are much better that fields...the cars will get out of your way and if they dont, your 4 seater airplane isnt going to do much damage, more than likely a collision would be survivable.

 

[Joshrk22]

LOL I totally forgot the link, here you go guys.

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=local&id=3974389

Sorry.

 

[FN FAL]

comments?

Pilots train for this sort of thing early on. When an engine stalls an airplane loses its lift, it means there is no air flow over the wings and that means no flight.

I'd beg to differ, but it wouldn't be the first time.

 

[jaxpilot]

eh i had the choice between I-10 and a field, I chose the field, and survived with no injuries. the aircraft was another story. I dont like to mess with cars, light poles, guard rails and power lines.

 

[nethan]

I was taught from day one that the plane is disposable. Obvisously, being able to use it again would be a nice thing, but it shouldn't be part of the thought process when working through an inflight emergancy.

 

[jws717]

The traffic lights and powerlines pose a hidden danger when selecting a road to land on, golf courses on the otherhand are overlooked by alot of pilots in florida. they are everywhere especialy in the middle of the big citys where a forced landing could jepordise life.

 

[MTpilot]

"i dont think anyone can comment without knowing exactly what the terrain was around the freeway...generally though freeways are much better that fields...the cars will get out of your way and if they dont, your 4 seater airplane isnt going to do much damage, more than likely a collision would be survivable." Originally posted by J.C Airborne

For the people in the car, probably not for the people in the airplane. A four seater airplane in a highway crash with suv's and cars and eighteen wheelers offers about as much protection for it's passengers as a lawn chair.

Unless the highway is deserted I would head for the field.

 

[FlyingFisherman]

golf courses on the otherhand are overlooked by alot of pilots in florida

You can land a 172 on a 1500' dogleg par 5 with a stream, large oak trees and bunkers............dead stick? You'll have a 50-75 foot obstacle eating up into your "runway length" as well in the form of trees. That knocks usable runway down to what...1000'?

If you can do that with oil on your windshield and engine parts sticking out the side of your cowling more power to you.

On the other hand...I did watch a bonanza run out of fuel and land on a driving range just north of KLNA in summer 2004. You know there's no gas in that airplane when there is a fireman leaning on a shovel smoking a cigarette.


I just did some algebra (ouch!)

if you're clearing a 50' tree going down at 5º without a flare (fine by me!) you're looking at eating up 574' of fairway before you touch down. 926 feet to go. Better be perfect!

 

[JimG]

I was taught from day one that the plane is disposable. Obvisously, being able to use it again would be a nice thing, but it shouldn't be part of the thought process when working through an inflight emergancy.

I remind myself all the time that my airplane only costs me $1000.

On that note though, my dad put my 172 down on a divided highway NE of Phoenix 20+ years ago when a pushrod tube seal let loose blowing all the oil out of it.

He flew it long enough (before it threw a rod) to determine that the highway was his best option.

Dropped it right down in-between two cars that were traveling the same speed as his approach speed.

Gutsy...but the airplane, he and my mother fared well.

The next day, a couple of kids who were supposed to tow it out of there decided to fly it to Falcon Field instead, and blew a hole in the side of the engine.

I got a new engine out of it.

 

[J.C.Airborne]

"i dont think anyone can comment without knowing exactly what the terrain was around the freeway...generally though freeways are much better that fields...the cars will get out of your way and if they dont, your 4 seater airplane isnt going to do much damage, more than likely a collision would be survivable." Originally posted by J.C Airborne

For the people in the car, probably not for the people in the airplane. A four seater airplane in a highway crash with suv's and cars and eighteen wheelers offers about as much protection for it's passengers as a lawn chair.

Unless the highway is deserted I would head for the field.

Most cars will be able to stop or get out of the way for you. unless its during rush hour i would put it down on the highway.

 

[Fury220]

My answer is simple at night without motors:

"BAILOUT BAILOUT BAILOUT"


But yeah, given a GA airplane, if the highway is deserted, land there! The airplane doesn't know that the painted lines mean different things...concrete is concrete...

Of course, if forced to land in a field at night, turn the landing light on. If you don't like what you see, turn it off.