Wait... why aren't its gear down?
They're calling it a miracle?
Could it be that Bob the Pilot couldn't handle the unruly passengers this time?A 50-year-old man and two women, aged 43 and 20, emerged from the fixed-wing Piper PA28 Cherokee that lost power
Oh oh, I really hope it wasn't an illegal student pilot flight.
Wait a second!
Could it be that Bob the Pilot couldn't handle the unruly passengers this time?
Oh oh, I really hope it wasn't an illegal student pilot flight.
Hope he got his PPL already, because he had passengers.
But did the FAA Airmen database take that long to update too?
I would think the system would get updated in a couple of days at most, even though they don't send the card for a while.
Could be he just got his certificate, in which case more kudos to him for the landing.
But did the FAA Airmen database take that long to update too?
I would think the system would get updated in a couple of days at most, even though they don't send the card for a while.
Could be he just got his certificate, in which case more kudos to him for the landing.
Being it was a Saturday, maybe that helped him in traffic, but that area is usually pretty bust any day.
A lot of good luck involved here. I wonder what the bad luck was that made all the good luck so needed.
Great job by the pilot. Hope we can learn from this one.
A lot of good luck involved here. I wonder what the bad luck was that made all the good luck so needed.
If you look up his tail number you find his plane is a 1966 Cherokee 180. Michael Schwartz of South Salem NY bought it last summer (July 2013). At the time it had 110 hours on a major overhaul done in 1992. Total time around 2500 hours. So the plane averaged <5 hrs a year for the last 21 years!!! The seller's ad listed an asking price of $26,900. Pictures of the panel at the time showed hopelessly outdated avionics but good paint and interior. I guess you get what you pay for. The seller included a handheld Nav radio in the purchase price because the avionics were so bad.
Of course we don't know what work he had done since the purchase, but the engine at least was an accident waiting to happen.
He might be in serious trouble......not with FAA, but his wife who wasn't one of the two women passengers.
NTSB Identification: ERA14LA085
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, January 04, 2014 in Bronx, NY
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-180, registration: N9409J
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On January 4, 2014, about 1520 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N9409J, was substantially damaged during a forced landing on an expressway in Bronx, New York. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed; VFR flight following was obtained. The flight originated from Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT, about 1440.
The pilot stated that the flight departed with full fuel tanks and after takeoff proceeded to the Statue of Liberty which he orbited twice. He then climbed to 1,500 feet and while in contact with the FAA LaGuardia control tower, he noticed the engine was not developing power. Because he had switched fuel tanks 30 minutes into the flight while at the Statue of Liberty, he turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, and switched the fuel selector to the fuel tank selected for takeoff. He stated that he could not recall the tank selected for takeoff. In attempt to restore engine power he also richened the mixture, and pushed the throttle full in, but with no affect. He declared a mayday, established best glide airspeed, and was vectored to a nearby airport but realized he would be unable to land there. He observed an expressway with 2 closed lanes and maneuvered the airplane for landing. He did not make contact with any trees or light poles on approach to the expressway. In preparation for the forced landing he shut off the fuel and magnetos and "cracked the [cabin entry door]." After coming to rest, all occupants exited the airplane.