Anyone have a story for this photo?

Brian Austin

Brian Austin

En-Route
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Feb 14, 2005
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Phoenix, AZ
Display Name
Brian Austin
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Deer Valley (KDVT)
Tried looking up the N-number but it's either altered or not in the FAA or NTSB databases. Anyone know anything? Might be an older pic, too.
 
Brian Austin said:
Tried looking up the N-number but it's either altered or not in the FAA or NTSB databases. Anyone know anything? Might be an older pic, too.
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IIRC, It was a traffic reporter who ran out of gas while patroling and became a part of the traffic reports that night.
 
Umm, yea, I need the number for the local FSDO please?
 
Looks to me like he's just complying with FCC regulations against using cell phones while flying. He must have gotten a call he couldn't miss, and had to land to be legal.
 
"No, no, no... I said the noise was 'sput-sput-spaaaa-sput' not 'sputta sputta sputta.'"


I actually remember hearing about this guy on the local news... My instructor always looked down upon landing on a public road. Simply for the fact that now you're indangering the lives of those who chose not to take 'aviation risks'. In the google article it mentioned an arrow landing on a road and injuring a girl in a minivan. All that aside, I'd probably would have done the same.
 
"I'm so sick of this Skyhawk, I'm just gonna pull over right here and go buy me a Tiger."

:)
 
AirBaker said:
My instructor always looked down upon landing on a public road. Simply for the fact that now you're indangering the lives of those who chose not to take 'aviation risks'. In the google article it mentioned an arrow landing on a road and injuring a girl in a minivan.
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Then there was the Cessna 310 (?) that landed on a road, ran a red light and the tip tanks on each side hit two school buses headed in opposite directions. Four seconds later and you have a disaster of frightening proportions. The tip tanks did not burn, because of course the airplane had run out of fuel.

Whether to land on a road depends on the road, of course. And the airplane involved. And the winds/weather. And the other options that might be available. Too many people (IMO) use landing on a road as a given, such as when the power's pulled on a BFR. I had a BFR in which the instructor actually chastised me for NOT setting up for the road (power lines on one side) when I had a nice big unobstructed pasture right underneath me. Turns out she had never in her life landed on grass in anything except a helicopter.
 
I think there is nothing wrong with finding a 'best field' and then changing your mind as time runs out... For example, line up with the road, but switch to an open field next to the road to prevent harming those on the ground... Who knows. Soo many variables to take into consideration. :)
 
Ken Ibold said:
Whether to land on a road depends on the road, of course. And the airplane involved. And the winds/weather. And the other options that might be available. Too many people (IMO) use landing on a road as a given, such as when the power's pulled on a BFR. I had a BFR in which the instructor actually chastised me for NOT setting up for the road (power lines on one side) when I had a nice big unobstructed pasture right underneath me. Turns out she had never in her life landed on grass in anything except a helicopter.
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It would be interesting to compare results of emergency landings on vs off paved public roads. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that less damage occurs off the roads. It seems like the vast majority of roads have hidden hazards (signs, mailboxes, trees, utility poles, wires, vehicles) which may negate the perceived advantage of what looks like a runway (but isn't). In my limited knowledge the damage occurs in about 50% of the total roadway emergency landings.
 
Where's that darned pizza delivery boy? Shoulda been here by now!
 
Good job by the pilot...if the photo is genuine. Obviously it wasn't rush hour...that could have made it interesting. Reminds of that short film that's made it around the net...405 or something like that. "Where's all the traffic?"
 
Gary Sortor said:
Is he required to notify the FAA?
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The article says:
The incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane has had no previous incidents or accidents, records show.

My guess is the FAA is investigating because of high visibility. Don't know why the NTSB is involved does anyone know if this qualifies as incident?

An incident is an occurrence other than an accident that affects or could affect the safety of operations.

Maximus
 
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He landed on a public highway. Could that have an impact on NTSB's involvement?
 
Brian Austin said:
He landed on a public highway. Could that have an impact on NTSB's involvement?
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Personally, I wonder if NTSB's involvement was anything more than saying "not an accident, not our problem."
 
Ken Ibold said:
I had a BFR in which the instructor actually chastised me for NOT setting up for the road (power lines on one side) when I had a nice big unobstructed pasture right underneath me. Turns out she had never in her life landed on grass in anything except a helicopter.
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Funny you should say that. Just before getting my PPL, I did a checkride with our cheif CFI, and he got on my case for picking a wide open flat area (near a road, mind you), rather than choosing I-40, packed with rushhour traffic, as my landing spot. He said something to the effect of "You never know how long you'll be out there waiting for help."

I agree with him, to an extent. I'd rather kill myself and destroy the plane than kill myself, destroy the plane, kill numerous other drivers, and destroy many many cars during rush hour.

I placated him, but in real life, I'd probably choose the abandoned field.
 
NickDBrennan said:
Funny you should say that. Just before getting my PPL, I did a checkride with our cheif CFI, and he got on my case for picking a wide open flat area (near a road, mind you), rather than choosing I-40, packed with rushhour traffic, as my landing spot. He said something to the effect of "You never know how long you'll be out there waiting for help."

I agree with him, to an extent. I'd rather kill myself and destroy the plane than kill myself, destroy the plane, kill numerous other drivers, and destroy many many cars during rush hour.

I placated him, but in real life, I'd probably choose the abandoned field.
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A road is my last choice. Even if I manage to not hit a car when I land, I'm not about to trust some startled rubbernecker not to hit my plane before I can get out. And I don't think I want to delve too deeply into the crashworthiness of a 2400 lb Tiger vs a 6000 pound SUV that has been crash tested and designed to hit bridges without a scratch!!

That said, on our return trip from WV I chose to follow interstates instead of going direct. They are a better choice than tree covered mountains!!
 
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