ISAF AB212 Precautionary Landing Due Wx

[Savoia]

A Malta-based Italian military helicopter has made a precautionary landing in a playground near Praia in Italy due to bad weather, the AFM has reported.

The incident happened on Thursday 24th January but was only disclosed today. The Agusta-Bell 212 helicopter, carrying a joint Italian-Maltese crew, had been on its way to Frosinone. However, due to low visibility and adverse weather conditions the commander, Lieutenant Colonel Davide Arcangeli and his Co-Pilot, Warrant Officer II Bennet (AFM) decided to land the aircraft in a football ground rather than to fly into poor weather.

The crew were given 'a warm welcome' by the locals while they waited for the weather to clear. When the weather improved they then continued on their journey North.

Malta-based helicopter lands in Italian football pitch - timesofmalta.com (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130130/local/italia.455457)

X2D4LM0oINI

[SASless]

Never had a bad experience landing out.....ever!:ok:

[MightyGem]

Landed on a playing field due to weather, and my Observer wandered across to the locals who had gathered and asked, "Where are we?". NO NO NO! :ugh:

[pilot and apprentice]

My own experiences have run the gamut: so positive it was amazing to humorous to frustrating to long painful discussion with the CO.

Glad it went well for these guys.

[206dvr]

Been stooging round under lowering clag a few times and landed by farmers houses when the clag has become ridiculous. Always had a good reception and hot cuppa. In my experience no one ever minds the intrusion. :)

And some farmers wives have been.......er...... very welcoming (with their cups of hot tea and use of the phone.) ;)

Always the best option.

[Grenville Fortescue]

Precautionary Landing Due Wx

ALWAYS the better choice.

[gulliBell]

Yes, better to be a minor news story than the main news..

[SASless]

You have not been "Lost" until you do not know which country you might even be in.....and find out by realizing the nice fellow is speaking French to you....which ID's the place as being Ivory Coast as the other choice was Ghana.

That was the result of 30 year old maps of different origins, a Mag Compass only, a watch, and Harmattan Dust cutting Vis to about 300 meters.

[Ascend Charlie]

Of my numerous outlandings due weather, 2 really stand out.

The first was mid-winter, landed near a farmhouse. My pax continued their trip by road, I dried off in front of a log fire and got a marvellous roast lamb lunch. Continued to destination when weather lifted a little, but would have loved to take up their offer of a lusty red wine to go with the lamb. (No, I am not a kiwi, I didn't ask for a lusty lamb)

The second occasion, landed between a farmhouse and the main road. Again the pax went on by road, and when I introduced myself to the landowner, found out that they were distant relations! A branch of the family I didn't know existed, very talented glass artists.

[Savoia]

You have not been "Lost" until you do not know which country you might even be in ..

Lol, so true.

Didn't this happen to Her Majesty's Sea King crew on the western portions of Latin America in 1982 when they were greeted by Maggie's Spanish speaking allies! ;)

[ShyTorque]

We once landed two military Pumas in a farmer's field in Wales due to an electrical fault in our aircraft (TRU overheating and putting out smoke in the cabin and cockpit).

We received an unusually warm welcome. Then I was told by the farmer that it was because at first they all thought I was Will Carling, their national rugby team captain. They must have been more than a bit disappointed to discover I wasn't even from the right side of Offa's Dyke. Very nice people, though. :p

[TRC]

....landed two military Pumas in a farmer's field in Wales .... they all thought I was Will Carling, their national rugby team captain.

:confused: