Passenger crash lands twin-engine plane

KESQ, KVBC (internet), WXYZ TV (Detroit) ^ | 5 May 05 | various

[raygun]

A twin engine Gulfstream One turbo-prop made a belly landing about 100 feet short of a North Las Vegas runway at 0914 5 May. One of the two passangers aboard - who had no flight experience in a multi engined aircraft - took control of the aircraft, after the pilot took ill while en route to San Diego. Reports indicated that the pilot suffered a heart attack during flight and subsequently died at a local Las Vegas hospital. The passanger is intimated as having had in a previous life stick time in gliders (but never in any powered aircraft - let alone twin engined powered aircraft). During all the commotion the passenger-pilot apparently overlooked that whole wheels down thing.

[raygun]

I seen footage of the plane after it landed. It looked banged up, and the props were all bent out of shape, but definitely salvageable. If you ask me it was for all practical and intensive purposes: a perfect landing (despite that whole no wheels down thing he had going on, and that coming in 100' feet short of pavement). It looked to me like he may have deliberately put it down in a nice patch of sand short of the runway. That would seem to go well with a glider pilot's instincts, no?

I believe that prayers should be lifted up for the pilot's family and loved ones during what certainly must be a time of grief. Also, prayers of thanks should be offered for the Lord's mercy and benevolance towards the two passangers who survived the incident (and with respect to His loving kindness towards the passanger's families). Furthermore, prayers of thanksgiving should be offerd for the Lord's ministering to the passenger who piloted the airplane back to terra firma, in bestowing him courage and steadfastness in the face of serious adversity, blessing his efforts in this matter, and for all the guardian angels He tasked in this matter.

KVBC story

[raygun]

Ping!

[U S Army EOD]

You got the prayers and sorry the guy died, but then again I guessed the outcome before I got all the way through the article about the wheels up part.

[Spktyr]

I have a sneaky suspicion that this was the "glider" the passenger had experience with.

If so, good for the retired soldier who managed to land the plane - he wouldn't have known about retractable gear. Even if his experience was in commercial sailplanes, they only have a single belly wheel that generally does not retract either. However, from the article, it really sounds like the passenger was an ex-Waco Glider pilot.

[gonzo]

Well, you've done it now, ray. Let's see how many pilot-jokes float in here now.

There are many pilots here on FR as I've noticed, and I are one, so I'll kick it off:

1)You know yer wheels ain't down when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal...

2)You can never have too much fuel, unless you're on fire, of course...

3)Speed is Life! Altitude is Life Insurance...

And the best of all is from an SR-71 driver who said: "Yea though I pass through the Valley of the Shadow-of-Death, I'm at 80,000 feet and still climbing, and you bastards cant catch me"!

I think that's my favourite..............FRegards and jump-on!

[ccmay]

Every private pilot's secret fantasy is to land the jet safely after the pilots are incapacitated.

Every instructor's secret fantasy is to talk a non-pilot safely down in the same situation.

-ccm

[Straight Vermonter]

Pilot: Wow, that's the shortest runway I have ever seen!

Co-Pilot: Yeah, but look how wide it is!

[gonzo]

Ah shit! You EOD's Scared-the-shit out of everybody!

Thanks, pally............FRegards

[gonzo]

I hope this is OK, pal. Stay well.........gonz

[Aeronaut]

[raygun]

A flight of F-16's were on their way to tanker along with 2 F-4's. It was a night intercept air-to-air refueling mission at oh-dark-thirty. The pilot moved from the pre-contact to contact position slowly, but it was an unlucky night. The pilot never remembered such a difficult air refueling before. He kept saying, "No way, no way." It was just so dark, very dark, no director lights and nothing. Very dark out. The pilot was sweating. The tension mounted after each successive failed attempt. Finally. Contact, and the fuel was loaded on. After separating from the tanker the pilot returned to close formation. Lead called the pilot to the uniform channel.

"2" was the reply and the pilot changed channels. Lead asked, "How do you see me?" Pilot answered, "Dark." Lead replied: "Raise your visor, it might be better for you when flying at night."

[leadpenny]

I have a few hundred hours in the G1. It's a beast but a fun airplane to fly.

I'm impressed and I tip my hat.

[Brian Allen]

How about "November 27 Bravo Alpha Heavy, Approach, expedite descent to FL40 for noise abatement"

"Approach this is November 27 Bravo Alpha Heavy: -- Noise abatement? -- We're at FL42 -- who can hear us from here?"

Approach: "I'm not sure, Sir, how much noise are you going to make hitting the opposing MD-11?"

[lentulusgracchus]

And the best of all is from an SR-71 driver .....

I vote for that one. I like that one goodest. Although the full-power taxi job was a solid second.

Not a pilot myself, but over Christmas I had a chance to visit the AF museum in Omaha....they've got an SR-71 in the lobby -- damnnnnn, the movie star said, I got to get me one of these!!

[Finalapproach29er]

Paging Joe Patronie.........

[Uncle Fud]

I can't imagine that the G-1 is approved for single pilot operations.

[leadpenny]

At the time I was flying the G1 I was also flying the Dehaviland (sp?) Dash-8. It was old vs. new technology. Engine and prop emergency procedures were a handful for two pilots in the G1. That's why I called it a beast.
Still, a very balanced airplane to fly.

[gonzo]

"...Approach: "I'm not sure, Sir, how much noise are you going to make hitting the opposing MD-11?"..."

Now, that's funny, Brian!

I once flew into a cloud of C-130 Herky-birds out of North Little Rock, Arkansas, and it scared-the-shit outa me. As I recall, the conversation went thus: "Little-Rock Approach - this is Cardinal-1963-Quebec, and I'm in a formation of a whole-bunch of C-130 Herclules aircraft! Can you get me outta here?

Little Rock approach said: "Don't worry - they can see you!"

WHAT'S THE VECTOR, VICTOR??

I'll tell ya about the Marine Pilots at Selfridge AFB later. Stay well, friend...............FRegards

[Uncle Fud]

The point being that the story makes no mention of a copilot.

Was it legal to fly the G-1 with the right seat empty?

[Cowman]

The pilot is going through his pre landing speech to the passengers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing at Chicago in about 30 minutes. the weather is clear at temperature a brisk 56 degr--AAAARRRGGGGHHHH!!!" Then the intercom goes dead.

About 30 seconds later the Pilot comes back on and says "Sorry about that, The stewardess was handing me a coffee and it spilled on my lap. You should see the front of my pants."

In the rear of the plane a lone voice calls out,

"Yeah, Well, You should see the back of mine."