Engine Out Emerg. Landing

[rdsoxpilot]

A colleague and I were having a discussion tonight and here's the predicament:

Flying along at an average cruising height of 6'500 in a C-172 and out of nowhere the engine quits.

After going through the checklists, emerg. landing field etc....you end up finding that the only place to land is on I-40 and it's a pretty busy day. (oh and by the way let's assume the ground elevation is 1000')

The main question here is this; do you land into the traffic or with the traffic. Again, given you have 5'500 feet to decide your plan of action.

I know there's the whole ideal of "to each his own" when it comes to training in this type of situation, but what I'm looking for is practicality. What would YOU personally do as a P.I.C. if you had to land into traffic or with the traffic on that particular highway.

[trafficinsight]

With traffic and hope and pray that at least a few of the people you flew over were smart enough to STOP... either way I'd rather smack a car with a 10kt difference than a 70kt difference

[Berkut]

I would land with the flow of traffic. It would lower the relative speed in case of a collision. A 172 is a tin can compared to the average automobile. Once you sink into view of the people below you, they'll instinctively hit the brakes and bring traffic to a stop.

People might see you sooner if you land into traffic, but the average driver isn't going to have the presence of mind to realize how much space you need and act on it in concert with other motorists in time to do you any good.

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by Berkut

A 172 is a tin can compared to the average automobile.

Pilot unscathed after ditching plane on Tooley Hill By RITA DUKES
Leader-News Editor
editor@ky-leadernews.com
A Tennessee man walked away uninjured after he made an emergency landing on Tooley Hill outside Greenville in the single-engine aircraft he was flying at around 1:15 p.m. Sunday.
Ian of Clarksville told property owner Alan Tooley that he was piloting a Cessna 152 he had rented in Nashville when he developed engine trouble. Feyk came to Tooley’s house for help after landing in his field.

Alan Tooley points in the direction this single-engine Cessna airplane took an emergency landing in his field on Tooley Hill. (Leader-News Photo/Rita Dukes)

See those small branches near the wings? They bent the wings back during a very low speed impact.

[Berkut]

Yikes! Was that you?

What caused the engine failure?

[Ian J]

Yup.

A seal busted and dumped all the engine oil. Heard a cough in the engine and literally watched the oil pressure drop from normal to zero in seconds. Then it got really, really quiet.

[Berkut]

Originally Posted by Ian J

A seal busted and dumped all the engine oil.

Wow, good job on the landing. Was it the front crankshaft seal?

[Ian J]

Actually, to my knowledge, they never discovered the reason.

NYC04LA090On March 21, 2004, at 1445 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N4468V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after experiencing a loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Greenville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at the Bowling Green Airport, (BWG), Bowling Green, Kentucky, destined for the Kentucky Dam State Park Airport (M34), Gilbertsville, Kentucky. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he was conducting a solo cross-country flight, in an effort to obtain a fixed wing "add-on" to his commercial pilot certificate, which was valid only for helicopters.

Prior to departing on the three-leg flight from Clarksville, Tennessee, the pilot added 2 quarts of oil to the engine, which gave the engine a total of 4 quarts.

The flight proceeded to BWG uneventfully, landed, and subsequently departed for M34.

While in cruise flight at 3,500 feet, the engine oil pressure began to drop. The engine then began to sputter, and subsequently lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, where the left and right wings struck small trees. The airplane came to rest in thick briar brush.

Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that there was no oil remaining in the engine. Oil residue was observed streaking from the engine cowling area, rearward along the surface of the main fuselage. No ruptures or leaks were observed to the engine. Both the engine oil filler cap and dipstick were secured.

An FAA inspector further examined the engine on March 31, 2004, at a recovery facility in Atlanta, Georgia. The inspector noted that the entire lower half of the engine assembly, including the oil sump pan, was saturated with engine oil residue. There was also notable engine oil residue on the lower fuselage skin, protruding antennas, and the nose gear assembly. The inspector did not observe any oil residue on either the accessories mounted to the aft end of the engine, or the firewall. The engine filler cap was secured. No defects, leaks, ruptures, or cracks were observed on the engine.

The pilot reported that he had about 700 hours of total flight experience, of which 15 were in fixed wing airplanes.

Weird, right?

The thing was full of oil when I left. The investigation ruled out pilot error (dipstick secured - oil streaking down the airframe, etc.). Must have been gremlins.

[JEP]

WoW, I don't think I have ever heard that story....All these secrets you're keeping from us.....

Good Job.....

I wouldn't mind flying a 152, but I'd have to get fuel by the time I made a couple of trips around the pattern.

[Berkut]

What's even weirder is I think I've flown that airplane.

Back in the late 1990's, before I was licensed, I used to split rental costs with a pilot buddy of mine. We flew (I think) that 152 out of Outlaw Field, usually to hit the buffet up at Falls of Rough in KY. If it really is the same plane, that's freaky. I'm glad that SOB didn't die on me!

Anyway, threadjack over. Land with traffic lest you wind up a hood ornament. If you have a pilot-rated passenger or CFI with you, once the plane rolls to a stop you should shout "Your aircraft!" and run like hell.

[moxiepilot]

Originally Posted by rdsoxpilot

A colleague and I were having a discussion tonight and here's the predicament:

Flying along at an average cruising height of 6'500 in a C-172 and out of nowhere the engine quits.

After going through the checklists, emerg. landing field etc....you end up finding that the only place to land is on I-40 and it's a pretty busy day. (oh and by the way let's assume the ground elevation is 1000')

The main question here is this; do you land into the traffic or with the traffic. Again, given you have 5'500 feet to decide your plan of action.

I know there's the whole ideal of "to each his own" when it comes to training in this type of situation, but what I'm looking for is practicality. What would YOU personally do as a P.I.C. if you had to land into traffic or with the traffic on that particular highway.

if the interstate was that busy, i wouldn't even land on the interstate. why? it was my choice to fly not theirs; and landing on the interstate IMHO would cause undue hazard to person or property at the surface.

if the interstate traffic was light, land with the flow of traffic - not into it

[Champcar]

SUV vs 172.....SUV Wins.

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Originally Posted by JEP

I wouldn't mind flying a 152, but I'd have to get fuel by the time I made a couple of trips around the pattern.

I would have to fly the plane in air-to-air refuel mode

[I_Money]

I can not believe any pilot would think about landing into the flow -

[I_Money]

Ian - how was handling an emergency with only 15 hours in fix wing aircraft? As it no big deal, seeing you had so much rotor time, or were you in need of the bathroom.

[Ian J]

It wasn't a HUGE deal - the steps for the emergency are easy enough. There was really only that field within gliding distance to land in, so no big decision there.

I think though that a more experienced fixed wing pilot could have made the landing without hitting the trees at the end - I came in a little hot, but was much more concerned with undershooting than overshooting.

Despite my prior experience I was shook up after the event - I think anybody would be. So many variables could have caused me to be seriously injured or killed. During it though it was all business.