One of the Most Impressive Crash Landings in History

[punkalouver]

(78) Crash Landing of a Piper Navajo at King's Lynn - YouTube

Prop malfunction with a history of previous failures. Reminds me of a guy I knew that flew MU-2's. He was flying one day and threw a blade. The drag cause by the damage meant that he couldn't maintain altitude and he barely made it to an air force base. Despite the fault.....no AD from the FAA. Then it happened again a few years later and killed a state governor when the pilots couldn't make it to an airport. FAA AD followed.

[India Four Two]

"One of the Most Impressive Crash Landings in History"
AAIB report:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422ea6e40f0b61346000001/Summary__AAR_6-94_Piper_PA-31-325_C-R_Navajo__G-BMGH_12-94.pdf

[treadigraph]

I recall reading the gist of the AAIB report at the time - amazing airmanship.

[NoelEvans]

I clearly remember seeing it on the front pages of the newspapers at the time (when I was a commercial flying instructor) -- and being impressed!

A few years later I was in an airline and a colleague and I were 'positioning' together. During a connection to another flight, we met a past colleague of his who asked him something about his accident (an 'admin' question). When we settled into our seats for the next sector, I asked him "What accident was this?" It was him! He gave a first-hand account and was very matter-of-fact about it. Hearing all this made what I had seen on the front pages of those newspapers mean so much more!

(I would love to see some airline sim instructor try to fit tDODAR into that situation!!)

With modern training, I wonder how many pilots would be able to handle a situation like that? And extreme situations that require real handling skills do occur in the airline world, such as the B777 fan blade separation going into Hawaii and others. (I hope that my training always added that little bit extra of 'flying the aeroplane' rather than 'operating' it.)

[happybiker]

It was a memorable event at the time notable for the exceptional flying skills of the Pilot Capt Ed Wyer.

There is an article in the November 2018 News letter which describes the event from the Pilot's view. https://www.jerseyaeroclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-November-JAC-newsletter_.pdf

I attended a Flight Safety Foundation Conference in Kuala Lumpur in 1993 at which Capt Wyer was presented with their newly established "Professionalism Award in Flight Safety" which recognises acts of valour performed in the line of duty. Well deserved.

[Pilot DAR]

Good piloting for the event!

For my experience the Navajo is surprisingly agile and responsive, not the slug some pilots had lead me to believe.

As of the Youtube presenter - he must absolutely terrify his grandkids at bedtime story time! I didn't listen to all of the clip, I want to sleep tonight! When he researches more, he may fine that Navajos have electric, rather than hydraulic flaps....

[Australopithecus]

When I was a boy flying the night Postes Canada Post mail in a Beech 18, I used to scheme to get at least a few trips in the new PA-31. What do Navajo pilots plot to fly now when they yearn for something built after they were?

[cncpc]

I clearly remember seeing it on the front pages of the newspapers at the time (when I was a commercial flying instructor) -- and being impressed!

With modern training, I wonder how many pilots would be able to handle a situation like that?

For now, we only know of one. And he was military trained?

Many years ago in Dublin, I was working on starting a low cost to compete with Ryanair, which was just about finished at that time. (pre O'Leary). There was a bit of publicity and pilots were calling looking for work. This man was one of them, and it was the first I heard of it. Like the man above said, very matter of fact in the telling of it. Title of this thread...absolutely.

[ricketyback]

I recall a couple of prop failures in West Australia in the 1960's. One was on takeoff and the other was on cruise. I think one aeroplane was a Navajo and the other a Beech Baron??