Landing intact away from airport

[jabird]

Just wondering - has there ever been a case of a succesful landing of a sizeable aicraft (let's say 100 seat+) away from an airport, in which the hull has remained intact, and there have been no fatalities?

Two spring to mind, but neither quite fits what I'm thinking of:

1) The Gimli Glider - but that was still the site of an air base, and the plane was allowed to fly away afterwards.

2) Hudson river - although in that case the aircraft was still written off. Presumably, it could have been repaired, but the cost of replacing so much electronics would have been beyond the cost of a new plane?

I know there are loads of cases of smaller planes landing on roads. I'm really wondering what would happen if a larger aircraft came down on a motorway (not Kegworth style), or a flat field, and only incurred minimal damage. Could it be refuelled and take off again, or could wings be removed for re-assembly at an airport?

[Brian Abraham]

DC-8 JA8032 named "Shiga" arrived in the San Francisco area after an uneventful flight from Tokyo. Normal communications were established, and the crew was radar vectored to the Woodside VOR and thence to intercept the ILS for runway 28L at San Francisco. The flight crossed the Woodside VOR at 17:16 at approximately 4,000 feet and, at 17:18:30, was cleared to descend to 2,000 feet . The flight descended in a constant, uninterrupted rate of descent from this time until about 6 seconds before water impact at 17:24:25. The aircraft was on the localizer and contacted the water about 2,5 miles from the end of runway 28L. There were no injuries to any of the passengers or crew during the accident and ensuing evacuation. The aircraft was recovered from the waters of San Francisco Bay about 55 hours after the accident. Repairs were carried out by United Air Lines and the plane was delivered back to JAL on March 31, 1969.

TACA Flight 110 (Boeing 737) During descent from FL350 for an IFR arrival to New Orleans, the flight crew noted green and yellow returns on the weather radar with some isolated red cells, left and right of the intended flight path. Before entering clouds at FL300, the captain selected continuous engine ignition and activated engine anti-ice systems. The crew selected a route between the 2 cells, displayed as red on the weather radar. Heavy rain, hail and turbulence were encountered. At about FL165, both engines flamed out. The APU was started and aircraft electrical power was restored while descending through abou FL106. Attempts to wind-mill restart the engines were unsuccessful. Both engines lit-off by using starters, but neither would accelerate to idle; advancing the thrust levers increased the EGT beyond limits. The engines were shut down to avoid a catastrophic failure. An emergency landing was made on a 6060 feetx120 feet grass strip next to a levee without further damage to the aircraft.
Investigation revealed that the aircraft encountered a level 4 thunderstorm but engines flamed out, though they had met the FAA specs for water ingestion. The aircraft had minor hail damage; the #2 engine was damaged from overtemperature.
The 737 took off from the field on June 6.

[treadigraph]

Perhaps not quite in the league you are thinking of, but big enough: a Mexican Gulfstream II force landed on Mallow Race Course near Shannon in the 1980s and was flown out again.

Ah, found this (http://www.pprune.org/caribbean-latin-america/159123-gulfstream-ii-xa-fou-irish-race-course-18th-april-1983-a.html) on PPRuNe...

[Capetonian]

Quite a few. Those that come to mind are :

The Ethiopian Airlines 767 which ran out of fuel (as a result of a hijacking attempt) and ditched off the Comoros. That was about 12 years ago I think.

About 40 years ago (I don't remember it!) a Tupolev 154(?) was ditched into the Neva river near Leningrad. I think it was icing.

Tarom also landed a TU154 on water somewhere off the coast of West Africa in the early 80's.

There was an Air Florida 737 (?) which landed in the Potomac River in Washington, also wing icing.

JAL dropped a DC8 into San Francisco Bay about 30 years ago. I believe the a/c was recovered and restored to airworthiness. (as per post #2 by Brian Abraham)

[India Four Two]

Bill Pegg force landed a Britannia on the Severn estuary mudflats after a catastrophic engine failure and in-flight fire. Details and pictures here:

Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust - History of G-ALRX - the second Britannia prototype (http://www.bristol-britannia.com/galrxhistory.htm#crash)

An interesting footnote to this accident is that Stanley Hooker was onboard. If the outcome had been different, there might have been no Pegasus and no Harrier.

[Groundloop]

I don't think you will find that in most of Capetonian's examples that the hulls remained intact and there were no fatalities!

Also the hull certainly did not remain intact in the Hudson River incident. Have you not seen any images of the underside of the tail section?:ok:

[treadigraph]

Another behemoth that spings to mind is the B-36 that "landed short" at a snowy Boscombe Down in the 1950s

More here (http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/346166-b-36-over-manchester-late-1950s-2.html)...

[Capetonian]

I don't think you will find that in most of Capetonian's examples that the hulls remained intact and there were no fatalities!
True, but ..... I looked a couple of them up and .......

On 7 August 1980, a Tupolev 154B-1 operated by Tarom Romanian Airlines ditched in the water, 300m short of the runway at Nouadhibou Airport (NDB/GQPP), Mauritania. 1 passenger out of 168 passengers and crew died. so the hull must have been pretty sound.

On 22 November 1968, Japan Airlines Flight 2, a DC-8-62, landed short of the runway in San Francisco Bay on approach to San Francisco International Airport. There were no fatalities, and the aircraft itself was in good enough condition to be removed from the water, rebuilt, and flown again.

On 21 August 1963, an Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-124 ditched into the Neva River in Leningrad after running out of fuel. The aircraft floated and was towed to shore by a tugboat which it had nearly hit as it came down on the water. The tug rushed to the floating aircraft and pulled it with its passengers near to the shore where the passengers disembarked onto the tug; all 52 on board escaped without injuries.

[Saint-Ex]

BAC 1-11 on Salisbury Plain on test flight.

[SpringHeeledJack]

What about that BEA Trident that crashed close to Heathrow in the 60/70s and due to some issue didn't explode or burn in the field it landed in, although many/all passengers/crew sadly died.



SHJ

[cyflyer]

There was an Air Florida 737 (?) which landed in the Potomac River in Washington, also wing icing.


What about that BEA Trident that crashed close to Heathrow in the 60/70s and due to some issue didn't explode or burn in the field it landed in, although many/all passengers/crew sadly died.

- STAINES !!!!

These can hardly be called "landings" Please, they were full scale CRASHES with almost total loss of life. I don't think thats what the original posters' question was refering to.........

[Capot]

Then there was Vickers Viscount 708 G-ARBY's forced landing outside a hotel at Ottery St Mary, after the fuel ran out on its approach to Exeter on 17 July 1980.

Two sheep sadly suffered fatal injuries, but 62 passengers and the crew walked away, which makes it a landing and not a crash, in my book. Sheep should keep a better lookout, anyway.

[Agaricus bisporus]

A B707 on a cargo flight to load fish at a lakeside strip on Lake Victoria landed at night a mile or two short - in the oggin, no flare, no reduction in the rate of descent (altimeter mis-set?) It remained afloat and locals towed it to the shore in the morning. The radome and nosegear bay were torn open but little damage to the hull. That's what they meant by "Boeing Built". I imagine the crew were somewhat red-faced.

Accidents and Incidents (http://www.airborne.org/flying/forum1.htm) with pic and text.



Didn't an Austrian (DC9??) land in a frozen field close to Munich airport in the mid/late '90s and remain astonishingly undamaged.

[treadigraph]

Agaricus, might have been the other way round - German A310 landed short at Vienna?

This one (http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/A310,_Vienna_Austria,_2000_(LOC_HF_AW))...

[Agaricus bisporus]

No Treaders, this one. Good ol' Wikipedia. Almost a DC9!

On 5 January 2004 at 08:17 local time, an Austrian Airlines Fokker 70 (http://www.pprune.org/wiki/Fokker_70) (registred OE-LFO) crash-landed on a snow covered field near Munich International Airport (http://www.pprune.org/wiki/Munich_International_Airport). The aircraft had been operating Flight 111 from Vienna to Munich (http://www.pprune.org/wiki/Munich) with 28 passengers and four crew on board, when its engines failed during landing descent due to icing (http://www.pprune.org/wiki/Atmospheric_icing). The aircraft was severely damaged, however only three passengers suffered minor injuries.

[Groundloop]

Agaricis - it was an Austrian Fokker 70 that suffered a double engine failure on descent.

SKYbrary - F70, vicinity Munich Germany, 2004 (AW WX LOC RE) (http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/F70,_vicinity_Munich_Germany,_2004_(AW_WX_LOC_RE))

Edit: Doh! Simultaneous postings!

[spekesoftly]

Almost a DC9! MD-81?

On December 27, 1991, SAS 751, an MD-81 crash landed at Gottröra, Sweden. In the initial climb both engines ingested ice broken loose from the wings (which had not been properly de-iced before departure). The ice damaged the compressor blades causing compressor stall. The stall further caused repeated engine surges that finally destroyed both engines, leaving the aircraft with no thrust. The aircraft landed in a frozen field and broke in three parts. No fire occurred and all aboard survived.

[Capetonian]

That was the famous flight to Warsaw, they interviewed one of the pax, a typically stoic Swede.

I forget his exact words, but it was along the lines of :

"The 'plane was going along the runway quite normally and took off, then went back to the ground. There was fire and the 'plane broke into several parts, and the fire spread, and I thought : This could be fairly serious."

[BOAC]

I'm sure a DC-9 or similar landed on a motorway in Scandiland way back (not sure if it fitted Jabird's seat requirements) and was there not an upcock with kg/ltrs or lbs a while back in Canada which resulted in a landing on a race-course? Airbus??

[Capetonian]

was there not an upcock with kg/ltrs or lbs a while back in Canada which resulted in a landing on a race-course? Airbus??

That was the Gimli Glider.

[wub]

In 1966 a hijacked Aerolíneas Argentinas DC-4 landed on Stanley race course in the Falkland Islands.

[mustafagander]

I seem to recall that a KAL B707 was forced down in the USSR somewhere and landed, under control, on a frozen lake. The Capt had flown in entirely the wrong direction and the Ruskies got a bit tense and fired off a few rounds to attract his attention. I can't remember what happened to the aircraft but I think all on board got out of it OK.

[Groundloop]

Quote:
was there not an upcock with kg/ltrs or lbs a while back in Canada which resulted in a landing on a race-course? Airbus??

That was the Gimli Glider.

Which was a 767.

[Capetonian]

There was an incident in about 1985 where a 747, operating KE007, I think it was a NYC-SEL, was shot down by the Russkies over Sakhalin Island. As far as I remember there were no survivors. You might be referring to a different incident.

[Evening Star]

I seem to recall that a KAL B707 was forced down in the USSR somewhere and landed, under control, on a frozen lake. The Capt had flown in entirely the wrong direction and the Ruskies got a bit tense and fired off a few rounds to attract his attention. I can't remember what happened to the aircraft but I think all on board got out of it OK.

KAL902 B707 in 1978 (as opposed to KAL007). The two fatalities were due to the missiles fired by the SU-15, with no further fatalities during the subsequent forced landing. Some details here (http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=13125).

[Fareastdriver]

IIRC a USAF B36 landed in Wiltshire quite close to Boscombe Down. They had to build a temporary track and cut a hole in the fence so they could tow it on to Boscombe airfield. Apparently when the captain telephoned General Le May to tell him what had happened he was fired on the spot.

[wub]

B36 photo

http://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173309&d=1243341612

[Fareastdriver]

That's the one. You can see a good old English double decker bus in the background.

[DH106]

That's one rugged airframe and gear if it landed short off-field and the gear survived to allow towing back to the field !

[seacue]

The Air Florida take-off crash into the Potomac River was 30 years ago Jan 13, 1982. today. Most passengers perished.

14th Street Bridge, the Air Florida Crash, and Subway Disaster (http://www.roadstothefuture.com/AirFlorida_SubwayDis.html)

I was in the northern DC suburbs and heard about it on my way to a travel agent to arrange for a Caribbean holiday. There was nasty heavy wet snow.

The Washington Metrorail (underground) had its first fatal accident that same afternoon ... much less severe than the plane crash.

seacue

[Fitter2]

Not an airliner, but I know a pilot who did an off airfield landing in an F-104, and after having the airplane fixed flew it back to base.

Chapter and verse available.

[pulse1]

I thought that the B36 ended up on or very close to Old Sarum. I think that the roadway you can see in the photograph is the perimeter track of Old Sarum.

[caiman27]

TAM Fokker 100 with 29 on board. Ran out of fuel and made an emergency landing in a field 30 Aug 2002. Killed a cow.

[Fareastdriver]

I think that the roadway you can see in the photograph is the perimeter track of Old Sarum.

I have seen other pictures of the incident and that is definately a public road. A clue are the ploughing furrows visible under the snow behind the port wing. There would be a bit of a problem doing a 2.75 mile tow from Old Sarum to Boscombe. There were only a handful of runways that could take a B36 so your average road, then, would have collapsed under the strain; even if it was wide enough.

[jabird]

Thanks everyone for a fascinating set of replies.

Brian Abraham - you answered my query straight away, namely that it is possible to land a reasonably sized aircraft away from an airport, and for the aircraft to remain in use.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Jabird, with respect, no one has "answered" anything at all.

Of course there are cases where a jet transport aircraft has landed off airport and most/all have survived, and equally there are cases where aircraft have landed on an airport and all have perished.

This proves nothing whatsoever except for the utterly predictable presence of a bell-curve representing on to off airfield accients on one axis, and survivable rates on the other.

As ever, all variations of each argument are all provable here by the "spot-focused" observer, and no general answer is discernable to the open minded asessor.

As ever in this age of bizarrely distorted rationale one needs to apply a sense of proportion before answering this very simple question.

If you do so then a very simple answer becomes apparent. There have been several, some more successful than others, in some no one has died and in other everyone has. Why is this a surprise, and what does it "prove".

Bugger all, actually.

Next....

[jabird]

Ab,

I'm not exactly sure what your point is? That accidents have different causes, effects, locations, outcomes? I think we all know that that.

I asked a specific question about a specific scenario, and I got an answer.

I appreciate the responses given by the posters to this forum who have taken the time to answer my question. What is wrong with that?

[IslandPilot]

A sizable Russian airliner, not sure of the type but possibly IL62 or TU154, was landed on a grass field on a final delivery flight to a museum. Video exists, the dust storm created by the reverse thrust is spectacular!

[DH106]

Yes indeed, it was an East German IL62

IL-62 landing on grass - YouTube

[Fly380]

How about this BUA 1-11 in Milan. I believe it was repaired and flew again.
BUA 1-11 - 17 Milan Crash JJ (http://www.bcalreunited.co.uk/photo-gallery.html?page=inline&id=765)
See photo 7 on link. Aircraft was flying again in 1970.

[Exnomad]

Landings on Swedish motorways should not count. Many stretches of them were intended as emergency military runways. There was an article around the time of the intoduction of the Grippen

[jabird]

Landings on Swedish motorways should not count. Many stretches of them were intended as emergency military runways. There was an article around the time of the intoduction of the Grippen

No, same as highways in Alaska regularly used for light aircraft landings (not sure if that is in local equivalent of Highway Code though?).