CAP plane lands on highway

[RiverAux]

From Wisconsin...2 CAP pilots practicing engine-out landing couldn't get it revved back up again and landed on a highway....

Great photo with the story: http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/WDH0101/303110039/1981

Also: http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/16561906.html

Title edit - MIKE

[ctrossen]

After a once-over by a mechanic, and presumably a slew of electronic and phone communications, the aircraft took off from the highway and returned safely to its home base ~8nm away.

Great job from the pilots, who were on a F5 checkride, for a safe landing!

[jimmydeanno]

Does that mean the guy getting the F5 passed?  Or does an emergency landing require a 'redo?'

[wingnut]

Can you say "GROUNDED",  I wonder  why they were 8 nm from the nearest Air Port when doing this procedure, and what was their altitude. Boy I hate to be in the hot seat on that one, BUT! good landing guys my heart goes out to you on this one.

[Frenchie]

Can you say "GROUNDED",  I wonder  why they were 8 nm from the nearest Air Port when doing this procedure, and what was their altitude. Boy I hate to be in the hot seat on that one, BUT! good landing guys my heart goes out to you on this one.

Why wouldn't they be 8nm from the nearest airport?  It's not much of an engine out check if there's an airport right beneath you.

Their altitude should have been > 500' AGL per 60-1, but 500' doesn't give you a lot of options when the engine goes sputter.

[♠SARKID♠]

Haha, I read the thread title and thought you were talking about last years EAA incident in Fon Du Lac, WI.  Then I read my wing info report and realized what you were talking about.

[SJFedor]

Can you say "GROUNDED",  I wonder  why they were 8 nm from the nearest Air Port when doing this procedure, and what was their altitude. Boy I hate to be in the hot seat on that one, BUT! good landing guys my heart goes out to you on this one.

Are you a pilot? If so, you've NEVER had an instructor pull your engine while you're away from the airport, and make you run the emergency procedure, establish, find a suitable landing area, and begin the approach, until abandoning it 500-1000ft AGL? It's been a part of every checkride, Form 5, and aircraft checkout I've ever done. It's also part of the private pilot practical test standards:

X. Areas of Operation: Emergency Operations
a. Task: Emergency Approach and Landing (simulated)

References: FAA-H-8083-3; POH/AFM

Objective. To determine that the applicant:
1. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to emergency approach and landing procedures.
2. Analyzes the situation and selects an appropriate course of action.
3. Establishes and maintains the recommended best-glide airspeed, +/- 10 knots.
4. Selects a suitable landing area.
5. Plans and follows a flight pattern to the selected landing area considering altitude, wind, terrain, and obstructions.
6. Prepares for landing, or go around, as specified by the examiner.
7. Follows the appropriate checklist.

B. TASK: SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTIONS
(ASEL and ASES)

REFERENCES: FAA-H-8083-3; POH/AFM.

Objective. To determine that the applicant:

1. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to system and equipment
malfunctions appropriate to the airplane provided for the practical
test.

2. Analyzes the situation and takes appropriate action for simulated
emergencies appropriate to the airplane provided for the practical
test for at least three (3) of the following—

a. partial or complete power loss.
b. engine roughness or overheat.
c. carburetor or induction icing.
d. loss of oil pressure.
e. fuel starvation.
f. electrical malfunction.
g. vacuum/pressure, and associated flight instruments malfunction.
h. pitot/static.
i. landing gear or flap malfunction.
j. inoperative trim.
k. inadvertent door or window opening.
l. structural icing.
m. smoke/fire/engine compartment fire.
n. any other emergency appropriate to the airplane.

3. Follows the appropriate checklist or procedure.

They did an awesome job. Period.

[Hammerhead]

So if they were able to start the plane right back up after the mechanic looked at it, what happenen then?  Why did the plane not respond to the throttle when they tried to recover after the emergency landing drill? 

Either way they will have some questions to answer to CAP and the FAA.  Was it a Form 5/F91?  Was the PIC with an instructor pilot? 

[Al Sayre]

Carb icing is one of a myriad of possibilities that come to mind.  The FAA won't have much to say.  They made a safe, off airport landing, nobody was injured and they can still fly the plane.  No harm, no foul.

[SJFedor]

So if they were able to start the plane right back up after the mechanic looked at it, what happenen then?  Why did the plane not respond to the throttle when they tried to recover after the emergency landing drill? 

Either way they will have some questions to answer to CAP and the FAA.  Was it a Form 5/F91?  Was the PIC with an instructor pilot? 

Coulda fowled the plugs during the extended idle period, could have had a partial failure of the engine driven fuel pump, coulda been a linkage failure in the throttle assembly (has happened before). I'm sure more answers will come out of the investigation. Either way, they did a stellar job with a crap situation.

Carb icing is one of a myriad of possibilities that come to mind.  The FAA won't have much to say.  They made a safe, off airport landing, nobody was injured and they can still fly the plane.  No harm, no foul.

Looking at the picture of them on the road, it appears to be a 172S model, so carb icing is out, because the R and S models are fuel injected.

I wonder how you log that landing....

[Al Sayre]

The article I saw didn't have a picture, I assumed it might be an older P model like the ones we have...

[SJFedor]

The first link at the top of the page from the Wassau Daily Herald has a great shot of the 172 sitting on the road w/ a police car in front of it.

[♠SARKID♠]

Haha, I read the thread title and thought you were talking about last years EAA incident in Fon Du Lac, WI.  Then I read my wing info report and realized what you were talking about.

Well, I guess I was half right.  The photo in the second article is from that incident...

I'm just glad they're safe.  I'm pretty sure I've met one or both of the pilots.

[NIN]

Remember, any landing you walk away from is a good one. If you can use the airplane again, thats a total bonus!

[nesagsar]

I'm sorry, I am a glider pilot. What is a landing? Is that like when you very gently crash your aircraft at a shallow angle so you can get out and help push?

[wingnut]

Why yes I am a Pilot and I believe you are referring to a situation "takes appropriate action for simulated emergencies

Simulated does not mean turning your engine off, 8 miles from an Airport, yes I am glad they are safe, but I have seen guys do much less in a CAP aircraft and get grounded for a year. It does not bode well in the Newspaper for PR to have a CAP aircraft landing on a Highway. We all learn from each others mistake, and this is or was a big one, and it will be regurgitated to us ad nauseum from national.

[Flying Pig]

I'm sorry, I am a glider pilot. What is a landing? Is that like when you very gently crash your aircraft at a shallow angle so you can get out and help push?

Now, I know your comment was for humor, but to expand.....

I always get a chuckle when pilots refer to landings as a controlled crash or something along those lines.  I mean the ones who are serious about the comment they just made.  You can tell a lot about a pilot by how they land.  There is NOTHING accidental about the ability to bring an aircraft to the ground and nail a pre designated spot, not to mention on a short or soft field or over an obstacle.  Especially in a glider where every landing is an emergency landing.  I know many pilots say they feel most involved in the aircraft at take off.  I dont.  To me, you are MOST involved when you are trying to bring that thing down and stop it.

[SJFedor]

Why yes I am a Pilot and I believe you are referring to a situation "takes appropriate action for simulated emergencies

Simulated does not mean turning your engine off, 8 miles from an Airport, yes I am glad they are safe, but I have seen guys do much less in a CAP aircraft and get grounded for a year. It does not bode well in the Newspaper for PR to have a CAP aircraft landing on a Highway. We all learn from each others mistake, and this is or was a big one, and it will be regurgitated to us ad nauseum from national.

Who said they shut the engine off? From everything I've heard, the power was reduced to flight idle, and when they went to add power, the engine didn't throttle up.

[mikeylikey]

Am I mistaken or did I read it took off from the highway as well??

If so, that is awesome!

[♠SARKID♠]

Am I mistaken or did I read it took off from the highway as well??

If so, that is awesome!

Yes.  Yes they did.