Plane lands on busy street, Roseland, Indiana, USA
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Plane lands on busy street, Roseland, Indiana, USA
This was in the news.
A SINGLE-ENGINED aircraft lost power and made an emergency landing in the middle of a bustling American business district, knocking over a power pole and nearly colliding with traffic.
The pilot, co-pilot and three passengers were not injured when the plane landed safely on a four-lane highway lined with fast-food restaurants, petrol stations and motels in Roseland, Indiana.
Their Swiss-built turboprop aircraft, a Pilatus PC12, is a type operated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia and in passenger version can carry up to 12 passengers.
"He did a great job of putting it down," Roseland Police Chief Mike Swanson said in Indiana. "A couple of cars got close. He was just a couple of feet over them."
The end of the right wing was sheared off when it struck the pole. The highway was closed while emergency crews cleaned up spilt fuel.
The aircraft was bound for White Plains, New York, and had just taken off from South Bend Regional Airport when it reported engine problems.
Queenslander
A SINGLE-ENGINED aircraft lost power and made an emergency landing in the middle of a bustling American business district, knocking over a power pole and nearly colliding with traffic.
The pilot, co-pilot and three passengers were not injured when the plane landed safely on a four-lane highway lined with fast-food restaurants, petrol stations and motels in Roseland, Indiana.
Their Swiss-built turboprop aircraft, a Pilatus PC12, is a type operated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia and in passenger version can carry up to 12 passengers.
"He did a great job of putting it down," Roseland Police Chief Mike Swanson said in Indiana. "A couple of cars got close. He was just a couple of feet over them."
The end of the right wing was sheared off when it struck the pole. The highway was closed while emergency crews cleaned up spilt fuel.
The aircraft was bound for White Plains, New York, and had just taken off from South Bend Regional Airport when it reported engine problems.
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What a great piece of objective reporting, recognising the skill of the pilot and keeping to the facts.
Obviously not a UK news report, it's missing phrases like:
- aircraft PLUNGES into ground near petrol station, a MIRACLE there was no explosion
- innocent bystanders were seconds from DEATH
- passengers screamed in TERROR as the pilot had to fight the controls after the engine BLEW UP
- the aircraft SMASHED through a telegraph pole and missed traffic by INCHES
- following this near DISASTER there are now calls for all flying over roads to be BANNED
Obviously not a UK news report, it's missing phrases like:
- aircraft PLUNGES into ground near petrol station, a MIRACLE there was no explosion
- innocent bystanders were seconds from DEATH
- passengers screamed in TERROR as the pilot had to fight the controls after the engine BLEW UP
- the aircraft SMASHED through a telegraph pole and missed traffic by INCHES
- following this near DISASTER there are now calls for all flying over roads to be BANNED
niknak
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Personally I don't blame him.
Parking in my local city at this time of year is a nightmare as well as being very very expensive (around £3 per hour in a multi story park and even more for short term).
I suppose he could have used the park and ride bus service, but ironically, here, the city authorities failed to mark out a sufficiantly large parking area for a PC12.
Parking in my local city at this time of year is a nightmare as well as being very very expensive (around £3 per hour in a multi story park and even more for short term).
I suppose he could have used the park and ride bus service, but ironically, here, the city authorities failed to mark out a sufficiantly large parking area for a PC12.
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> Obviously not a UK news report, it's missing phrases like:
When it may actually have merited that kind of of reaction.
Unless it was on it's way into or out of an aerodrome, why was a single engine aircraft operating in such a way that the only appropriate emergency landing location was in the middle of a town on a busy street?
Edit:
> and had just taken off from South Bend Regional Airport
Pffft. There's the answer. Time I started reading before writing.
When it may actually have merited that kind of of reaction.
Unless it was on it's way into or out of an aerodrome, why was a single engine aircraft operating in such a way that the only appropriate emergency landing location was in the middle of a town on a busy street?
Edit:
> and had just taken off from South Bend Regional Airport
Pffft. There's the answer. Time I started reading before writing.
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Well west coast, a simple search shows this was a pretty objective AP report which was carried by several US news organisations. The only "sensational" report comes from the intrepid local reporters of Fox News, but then nobody with any brain would take any notice of Fox, so no surprise there. Isn't this journo bashing stuff something we would expect to read in the profesional forums, my personal opinion is that it doesn't fit in here.
Seems like there was plenty of fuel on board because the reports speak of mopping it up, turbines are extremely reliable though obviously not foolproof, wonder what happened.
Single engined planes going down (ooops!) in built up areas is not uncommon in the States. People are still not clamouring for a 'glide free' rule though.
Seems like there was plenty of fuel on board because the reports speak of mopping it up, turbines are extremely reliable though obviously not foolproof, wonder what happened.
Single engined planes going down (ooops!) in built up areas is not uncommon in the States. People are still not clamouring for a 'glide free' rule though.
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snigs - hopefully this incident, in a roundabout sort of way may help with the single engine debate (go with me on this one honest!) Engine fails - pilot is conmmitted to finding landing site, no decisions on how far the other engine will drag them to a suitable crash site. No probs with assymetric situation either whilst finding a landing site. Check out the pics on south bend tribune safe landing with only damage to wig tip where it struck a pole - also remember the PC-12 is designed to operate away from prepared strips anyhow. I believe Pilatus have data on forced landings due engine failure (single engine turbine) - none of which have been fatal compared to many twins losing it due to the assymetric probs before they even get chance to land the thing. Interesting debate!
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Oh oh, its starting.....
Yea, irresponsible I know, he surely should have defied gravity and kept the thing in the air or have committed hary kary and nosed into a baseball field or something.....
Yea, would you believe it! Those damn ATCO's sending their planes into busy Michiana...!
Still, at least is wasn't initially reported as an Al Quieda attack on the great town of Michiana.....
SOUTH BEND -- Dave Labrum could hardly believe his eyes when a large, white object dropped from the sky and came right at him on Indiana 933.
It was an airplane -- like something out of a Hollywood movie. Labrum lurched his car to the right, over the curb.
"It looked like a missile," Labrum said. "It looked so huge, and I was just so overwhelmed by it, and so surprised
But a few hours later, Labrum said he was angry. He's asking the same questions some others are: Should the pilot, Craig Miers of Windham, N.H., have landed where he did, and put so many motorists, diners and shoppers at risk?
"They take that risk by going up there (and flying), and they shouldn't endanger anyone on the ground," said Labrum, a hospice worker from South Bend. "I cannot believe they sent that plane down in probably the most congested area in Michiana.
Still, at least is wasn't initially reported as an Al Quieda attack on the great town of Michiana.....
"expect to read in the profesional forums, my personal opinion is that it doesn't fit in here"
Tell that to who ever moved it here, not me. This one guy may have got it right, which is the inference I sorta gave. Perhaps I was a bit too subtle for some. I stick to my guns about mainstream reporting and aviation. Living in Southern California, I could make an argument for the area being the king of GA by the number of ops. I see endless accounts by the media, not just of accidents but other GA involved events. The majority are poorly written by someone who doesn't understand aviation.
Are you a journo? You seem sensitive to criticism towards them.
Tell that to who ever moved it here, not me. This one guy may have got it right, which is the inference I sorta gave. Perhaps I was a bit too subtle for some. I stick to my guns about mainstream reporting and aviation. Living in Southern California, I could make an argument for the area being the king of GA by the number of ops. I see endless accounts by the media, not just of accidents but other GA involved events. The majority are poorly written by someone who doesn't understand aviation.
Are you a journo? You seem sensitive to criticism towards them.
