Originally Posted by
GregAmy
I had a discussion with bro-in-law today, who's wondering why so many highway landings/crashes lately (Caravan out of IAD, Challenger into APF, now PA28 out of FRG). I have a theory (PPSEL instrument).
Is that Grumman Greg Amy? If so, you would certainly have a particular interest in the difficulties of the "Impossible Turn" due to our friend Roscoe's experience.
You have to work with what you are given, within the limitations of the local geography and land use, and the performance capabilities of the airplane. I helped work this crash recovery over the weekend.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/small...field-airport/
https://www.flightaware.com/live/fli...000Z/KPAE/KPAE
Student pilot had a loss of engine power while over open water. There is no beach to speak of (rocky coast) the shoreline is heavily developed, and the terrain rapidly rises from sea level to ~700 feet. His choice was either ditch in the water just parallel to shore (It's February...) or land in unimproved terrain. He managed to glide to shore and stuff it into a heavily forested ravine. Hit two tall but skinny alder trees right on the wing struts, hardly any damage to the fuselage. He says he hit at minimum controllable airspeed, straight in. But- he did get very very lucky! Accident happened at dusk, there's no way he could have seen and avoided the much larger diameter old-growth Douglas firs in the area, or the much more unforgiving terrain just a few hundred feet from where he hit. Given the choice, a forced landing on a flat surface is more likely to be survivable accident than a forced landing into unimproved terrain, but in either case, hitting while under control and at minimum forward speed seems to be key to survival.