What would you do?

[Ultralights]

im not sure this is the appropriate forum for this type of topic, but there doesnt seam to be anywhere that it would fit, anyway here goes.

A hypothetical situation!
You are the pilot of a Cessna 172 that had just taken off, and had about 150 feet of altitude. The plane had just cleared the runway, and there were trees around the airport. The engine suddenly dies and it looks like you have nowhere to go but into the forest!.
In a situation like this, where you've just taken off, and don't have enough altitude to return to the airport, and there are woods all around you, what is the recommended course of action? Trim the plane for straight and level flight and try to aim away from the biggest trees? Obviously damage to the plane is a seconday consideration, but what would the chances of surviving a crash like this be, assuming you made a controlled landing into the forest?



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Yeah, Zoom Zoom Zoom

[Luftwaffle]

You know the adage about what to do in a forced landing at night? "Turn on the landing light; if you don't like what you see, turn it off." There's some truth to it.

You want to hit those trees slowly, but you do NOT want to stall into them. Set up as if you had a nice field in front of you, and glide into the trees, aiming between, not at the trunks.

No, I haven't done this, but I've spoken to insurance adjusters and other people who attend aircraft accidents and they say it's amazing what a Cessna's wings will cut through. I have seen a Cessna that flew through trees and DIDN'T crash.

[eyeinthesky]

If you were to try to trim the aircraft for straight and level without the engine you might find it only works for a short time!!

It seems to me that your best chance is to keep the aircraft under control, select best glide speed and aim for the trees with the wispiest looking tops. With this in mind I suppose a pine forest would be better than a forest of oak trees. If you're lucky you might get a slow enough deceleration to let the a/c settle down onto the tree tops. If you're unlucky it will catch a wheel and catapult you downwards base over apex. Bit like ditching in the sea really.

If the trees are well spaced, aim for the gap between them and hope the wings shear off and the cockpit stops before it hits the tree that fills the gap 40 yards on.. A friend's Cessna was written off when it overran into a hedge (crap pilot), but the cockpit went neatly between two bushes and the culprit walked away without a scratch.

All conjecture, really. If you're in the situation just do what seems best in the 20 secs you have available from 150 ft. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif



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"Take-off is optional, Landing is mandatory"

[little red train]

Did anyone see the BBC footage where peter Sisens?? (The tall mad guy of of tomorows world), was in a floatplane (Otter) doing some filming, the engine quit and the camera man filmed it al the way into the trees, Tall Pines with the wispy tops. They all got out and he then did a report to the camera they used on the news! All fine and well, except the otter.

so Yes, tall wispy bits, slow as possible, and aim between the trees.

[Floppy Link]

in 1988 the Tiger Moth at RAF Cranwell flying Club crashed into the tops of 150ft trees on the south side of the Cranwell North grass airfield. If I remember rightly Both occupants survived - hurt but alive.
I didn't get to fly the next slot in the Moth though!

[eyeinthesky]

I think his name is Peter Snow. From what I remember his voice was a bit wobbly on his piece to camera after the accident!!!

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"Take-off is optional, Landing is mandatory"