Lucky circumstance, or is this just a bit too perfect?

Turbo-Arrow-Driver

Turbo-Arrow-Driver

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Turbo-Arrow Owner
Would you be less suspicious if it had crashed into a residential neighborhood? The pilot's statements in the news story point to a guy that was mentally prepared for the emergency, and it resulted in the best possible outcome.
 
Sure seems that engine was running. Took forever for the prop to stop. Maybe low compression or just windmilling.

Landing on a public beach is tricky. Had one years ago hit and killed a bather in Florida.
 
While I have very little doubt this was a true emergency, I understand the initial apprehension given the registry, cameras, and all the advertising painted on it. Seems to be a good cause, "Elder Abuse Air Force." But given that there's absolutely no mention of it in the article, I'm inclined to believe this wasn't a reckless publicity stunt. Excellent soft field landing. Flaps down at the last possible second, kept the nose wheel on top of the sand for as long as it would hold. Did it better than our rookie Commercial pilot out here a couple years ago who put it down on the beach with passengers after running it dry.
 
bonefishpete said:
Sure seems that engine was running. Took forever for the prop to stop. Maybe low compression or just windmilling.
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On most planes with fixed pitch props and ungeared engines, the prop will continue to windmill down to a very low airspeed.
 
Year or two from now we may find out but by then we all will forgotten about it.

Fuel contamination or lack of my first guess.
 
Dana said:
On most planes with fixed pitch props and ungeared engines, the prop will continue to windmill down to a very low airspeed.
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Probably right. Old trick was to stall almost to stop the prop
Dana said:
On most planes with fixed pitch props and ungeared engines, the prop will continue to windmill down to a very low airspeed.
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Thats true. Old trick was to almost stall the plane to stop the prop to lengthen the glide.
 
bonefishpete said:
Sure seems that engine was running. Took forever for the prop to stop. Maybe low compression or just windmilling.
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When I had a flight in a Cherokee when the engine ate a valve, the engine kept running but essentially had little thrust and definitely not enough to sustain flight. Adding throttle resulted in horrendous vibration. Has enough to taxi (landed at an airport) and park but not flying.
 
ateamer said:
Depends on how much damage the plane has. This might not even meet the threshold for reporting to the NTSB.
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That’s true. FAA will be involved.
I believe any off airport landing gets reported to FAA by local law enforcement.
I suspect many reports will be written by many agencies. Public Beach and all.
 

“Lucky circumstance, or is this just a bit too perfect?“​


No one in plane or on ground killed, seems a very lucky circumstance.
“Too perfect” would be if airplane was undamaged.
 
Looks like the pilot has an ATP and at least 2 type ratings, based on everything I think lucky circumstance.
 
Seems like lucky circumstance, after all. Thanks for pointing out these items. Me, just too suspicious in my (old?) age, ha, ha.
 
bonefishpete said:
That’s true. FAA will be involved.
I believe any off airport landing gets reported to FAA by local law enforcement.
I suspect many reports will be written by many agencies. Public Beach and all.
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Yep. The cops seemed giddy about the prospect of calling the FAA about my off airport landing on private property with no property damage. They did it before I was able to get a ride home.
 
When I had a total power loss on downwind in a light sport plane due to fuel starvation, the prop continued to windmill until I got down to taxi speed on the runway.
 
bonefishpete said:
Probably right. Old trick was to stall almost to stop the prop

Thats true. Old trick was to almost stall the plane to stop the prop to lengthen the glide.
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There was thread here about that a few years ago. If I remember right, below a certain altitude it doesn’t work. What you lose in forward progress by getting that slow, you don’t make for in the better glide ratio.
 
Salty said:
Yep. The cops seemed giddy about the prospect of calling the FAA about my off airport landing on private property with no property damage. They did it before I was able to get a ride home.
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If you can sell something, it’s property :biggrin:

1785586757363.jpeg
 
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Salty said:
Yep. The cops seemed giddy about the prospect of calling the FAA about my off airport landing on private property with no property damage. They did it before I was able to get a ride home.
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And my off airport experience was the exact opposite.

Once safely on land with the undamaged plane parked on a slab of frozen river ice, radioed my predicament in the blind on guard frequency. A corporate jet relayed the situation and position to ATC, that immediately contacted law enforcement. Two police officers arrived in about 25 minutes, followed by a local newspaper reporter (who was disappointed I wasn't injured, or dead). The officers drove me to a nearby heated park ranger office and made a pot of hot coffee (but no donuts) to await the FAA.

The FAA FSDO (then GADO) office dispatched two inspectors that arrived at the scene a couple of hours later and began their investigation into why a PA-28-140 rental was parked on the ice.

Besides me initially getting the blame (which turned out to be not true), the entire experience was a positive one...
 
X3 Skier said:
When I had a flight in a Cherokee when the engine ate a valve, the engine kept running but essentially had little thrust and definitely not enough to sustain flight. Adding throttle resulted in horrendous vibration. Has enough to taxi (landed at an airport) and park but not flying.
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Same for me on my last GA flight to date; the Lycosaurus attempted to jettison the #3 barrel when the studs started shearing is succession. Partial power all the way to the runway, but just barely. The vibration gave me actual concerns for the mount, so I played it conservatively once overhead. Had enough power to taxi the same as your case.

They're bona fide power losses just the same, the fact they can occur insidiously/gradually versus abruptly, is a distinction without difference when it comes to the seriousness with which they need to be treated.
 
Salty said:
Yep. The cops seemed giddy about the prospect of calling the FAA about my off airport landing on private property with no property damage. They did it before I was able to get a ride home.
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I've made several off airport landings and never had an issue. Maybe the key is to take off again before any notice. ;) Of course mine weren't mechanical simply a more convenient place to land than the nearest airport. :)
 
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