for pilots and aviation buffs

[medic]

quote:

---

Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Plane crash averted despite landing gear problem
By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER/ Era Reporter

Disaster was averted Monday afternoon at Bradford Regional Airport when a plane experiencing problems with its landing gear was able to land safely shortly after 1 p.m.

"If it wouldn't have been for the pilot handling the plane the way he did, it would have been a disaster," said Don Fowler, chief of Lafayette Township Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department.

As it was, the pilot was able to land the private, twin-engine Piper Navajo without incident in spite of a problem with the landing gear.

"They touched down with the tire sideways. The nose wheel was actually turned," Airport Manager Tom Frungillo explained.

"The pilot knew it went that way," Fowler said. "He could see it in a mirror."

The pilot, whose name was not released by the airport or emergency personnel, radioed the airport of a possible emergency about 1 p.m. Crews from Lafayette, Hilltop Fire Department, a Bradford City medic unit, Kane-based state police, the McKean County Emergency Management Agency and the sheriff's department all responded to the scene.

Fowler explained the pilot was able to land the plane on its rear wheels, leaving the nose up as long as he could. When he landed the plane, a Lafayette Township fire truck was able to follow the plane down the runway in case there was a fire or any other emergency.

The airport's crash truck was following as well. Neither were needed, Fowler said.

"If the landing gear would have collapsed, we're right there," he added. However, that did not happen.

"The way he handled the plane ... it didn't even crumple the front wheel," he said, adding the pilot did a "fantastic job" of landing the plane safely. "They can credit that to the pilot.

"It didn't hurt the plane at all," he said. In fact, as the emergency crews were leaving the airport, the fuel truck was refueling the plane to take off again.

---

I was dispatched to this incident and was told there was an aircraft with a langing gear malfunction and 15 minutes of fuel left. I am stationed about 17 miles from the airport so I knew I had to move fast.

The pilot landed the plane about a minute after my arrival. This was the most beautiful landing I have ever seen. The pilot made it look as if he has done this many times before. He came in on the rear wheels, keeping the nose up until the last minute. Once the nose wheel hit the runway, the plane skidded about 20 feet and came to a stop. The pilot told me that the passenger behind him was cheering him on saying "you can do it, you can do it".

I have alway been very interested in aviation, but after seeing this, I think I will remain a spectator.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Sounds like he treated it like a soft field landind. In a soft field landine (wet turf runway) you hold the nose off of the ground as much as possable includeing taxi'ing and take off.

The one thing I find odd is that his emergency system did not work. usualy you have a back upsystem to deploy the gear that is not the same as the primary system. So if it is a hydralic system you back up world be phenmatic or electrical etc.... Thanks for telling the story I will look for it in NTSB report! You have my interest peaked!

I will say this i was trained as a commercial pilot. The training is so repetitive that it changed my driveing habits as well! I became an even more aware driver and do things much more methodicly then I ever did before. I check everything before I drive, i scan my instrument constantly, I look for an escape route out of the situation and scan well a head of wear I am at. I use my copit managment skill and am carful to maintain my night vision, I cary fist aid supplys year round and food and survival gear in the winter etc........

I think most people do not understand all the training that goes into crating a safe well rounded pilot! It is truely a matter of human technology and programing over electrical technology in terms of safety. The electronics helps but the well trained pilots, ground crew and air trafic controllers are what truly keep our aviation industry safe!!!

 

[malibu jimbo]

Sounds like the nose gear had it's centering cam broken, allowing the whells to be cocked. Good job landing. Saw a 747 land at LAX a number of years ago with the nose gear stuck in retracted position. Pilot landed and kept the nose up untill it finally came down on the open nose gear doors. Surprisingly no damage to aircraft nose, although the #2&3 engine nose cowls hit the runway.

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JohnBrowning:
you hold the nose off of the ground as much as possable includeing taxi'ing and take off.

---

I've done a lot of high speed taxis, but your lookin at 40-50 knots with the flaps down in a single engine Cessna to get the nose wheel off the ground.

Medic, if you really want to learn to fly, go for it! Don't let this kinda stuff scare you off. Once you get a lot of experience at it, you'd be amazed at what you can handle in an aircraft. Plus, you constantly train and practice for emergencies, like power-off landings, simulated angine failures on take-off etc. It's fun as **** and if you like a mental challenge, Whooaaa! After your 1st coule training sessions, you'll have to just lay down and take a nap or vegitate for a couple hours cause your mind will be on overload.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Drew99GT, Got a funny for you. Years ago when I first started flying Ihad maybe 20 hours of flight time. I was driveing home from the airport after a long flight leason and an even longer debrief. My mind was still on the debrief. A little old lady cut my off on the highy way and almost took my front bumber off. Instead of hitting the breaks I pulled back on the steering wheel so hard I was bending the wheel! After I realised what I was doing I tapped my brakes and avoided hitting her!!!

That was the only time I did that or anyting like that!!

 

[Drew99GT]

Thats just like gettin in a plane, start a roll forward for taxi, and start turning the yoke as you head for a hanger

Done it once when 1st starting!

 

[robbobster]

If the wheel was cocked, how did he manage to go straight when it touched down? Was the wheel locked-up? Or was it perpendicular to the runway, so that it skidded completely sideways and not at an angle?