Patrickal: "Everyone seems to have forgotten this little gem from 1988. A TAC 737 put down on a levee south of New Orleans after losing power from both engines in a severe thunderstorm. There were no injuries and no loss of life. The aircraft was actually flown out of the location several days later. I would say his accomplishments were on par with what happened last week, given the choices he had and having little knowledge of the area he was putting down in. The details can be found here:
Taca 737 On New Orleans Levee (pic) — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net "
Funny, I had forgot that one, too, and I was closely involved with maintenance of the weather radar on that plane at KLAX a few days later. The plane was only 3 weeks old. Shortly after that, I believe the flight idle thrust was raised on the CFM, and continuous ignition was required.
I met Capt. Dardano about ten years later, when he was Capt. on their 767, and he was quite modest about the landing. He said he was unfamiliar with the new digital radar, so didn't use it as he could have.
He owned a crop dusting and aerial advertising business in El Salvador, and hence, was quite familiar with low and slow flying.
The fact that he wore a pirate patch over his left eye, accentuated his skill at landing on the levee. I believe he lost the eye from an attack by rebels on the hiway between the airport and San Salvador. Of course, binocular vision is useful only out to about a meter.
GB