Posted on 03/19/2007 11:52:11 PM PDT by skeptoid
SITKA, Alaska -- An Air Station Kodiak HH-65 Dolphin helicopter transiting to from Canada to Sitka overheard an Emergency Locating Transmitter (ELT) as they were nearing Sitka. Shortly after hearing the signal and attempting to use their direction finding equipment to locate the source, a radio call came in from a small plane on the beach at Shoals Point.
The owner of the plane was radioing to the 110-foot Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa, which was patrolling Sitka Sound, to see if he could get some assistance to move his plane up the beach away from the tideline. The two persons on board the plane were unharmed. The Coast Guard helicopter landed on the beach and the Anacapa sent a small boat and crew over to assist as well. Together the crew was able to get the plane back up on its landing gear and move it up the beach away from the incoming tide. The helicopter then transported the two persons back to Sitka.
Load the pic at the link for huge version.
Lucky for low tide
This pic needs much more discussion, as in why the landing. Don't see any tundra tires on that baby, and the sand is awfully wet. I'm sure there must be some reason they set down when and where they did.
I would say engine failure. My guide up there lost power over water recently and had to glide to reach land with little room to spare. He didn't have his floats on.
ping
ping
I am also curious... but I did notice drag marks in the direct center of the tire indentations.. Looks like it might have been engine failure and the drag marks were probably the propeller stopped.... notice how it is every few feet... I think the pilot was doing the best he could (flaps) in keeping the plane upright against the drag from the sand.... AND, he and the passenger are both still alive :D
No, it's an HH-65 Dolphin flying out of Air Station Kodiak.
Sorry, but still didn't answer the question....
As they say, any landing you can walk away from is is a good landing. In this case if it was engine failure, something to think about is getting the prop to a position, using the starter, and if the engined will rotate, where it will not strike the earth tip down, if you tip up. That action does require time, and a really clear head in an emergency. It isn't something people in single engine airplanes practice much.
"Kodiak" is a place in Alaska. There is a Coast Guard Air Station there called USCG Air Station Kodiak.
The Helicoptor was an HH-65 Dolphin, and was based at USCG Air Station Kodiak.
Therefore, it was referred to in the article as "an Air Station Kodiak HH-65 Dolphin." Had the USCG Air Station been named "MrJapan," the article would have said:
"An Air Station MrJapan HH-65 Dolphin..."
Speculation is NEVER advisable, .....
....... so here's what I think happened.
Shoals Pt. is 10 miles west of Sitka airport. The 185 is registered to a Sitka resident (looked up N3332S). Probably a training event...(the skip marks between the main tracks is the tailwheel) ....takeoff run and notice how the beach is dark and disturbed ('rototilled') under the prop and it looks like he encountered a soft patch of sand just before it got light on the gear. The tailwheel would have been leaving a much more continuous track and braking would have left different (darker in the wet sand) tracks if it was landing.
Looking at the marine charts (free viewer and chart downloads at maptech.com) the beach at Shoals Point is open to the North Pacific, and I imagine calm days and low tide don't always occur when you've got time to practice off-airport landings and T.O.s.
There .....I've speculated, and NOW I'm going to the FAA Preliminary Reports to get more info.
Honest.
"ACFT WHILE TAXIING, NOSED OVER, SITKA, AK"
It probably was not a failure. They probably landed and were doing stuff and then hit a muddy patch trying to take off again. Post 15 indicates they were probably taxing and not emergency landing.
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