Video: Glider pilot lands in Californian street, bends glider.

[Gribble]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8499132/pilot-films-gliders-emergency-landing

 

I dont know anything about gliding, except the fact there is no motor. So ill let the more qualified here comment on this. He survived so I guess you could say he did well.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Not bad, looked real good until the right wing caught something..................................................................Maj..

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

This is what happens when you fly over a built up area WITHOUT a certified engine...

 

 

[PapaFox]

That would be this one

 

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20111230X50438&key=1

 

With the approach obstacles on either side, it could have been pretty messy if he wasn't in a glider that had such short wings (12m)

 

 

[johnm]

good work ! .............. at the time he lost a wing or 2 (presumably) ........................ the glider probably was then a land vehicle and I reckon he did an excellent job at parking it - off the street and paralell parked

 

 

[Teckair]

To my way of thinking an out landing should be done on an appropriate clear area not on a road in a built up area.

 

 

[rdarby]

Teckair, he probably went for what was flat and straight, that may have been the best option. No one is going to to aim for a built up area on purpose, but in a glider you don't have much choice, and that country road looked pretty good until he hit a pole. I think he did well.

 

 

[winsor68]

All this talk of not having a choice of landing in the street in a Sailplane... I thought the first principle of being a good Sailplane pilot was always being ready to carr y out a safe out landing?

 

I reckon he made a mistake, and then I guess he made up for it by walking away from what was a no options high speed and desperate landing in a fairly congested area. Luckily there were no pedestrians on the footpath.

 

IMO

 

 

[Teckair]

All this talk of not having a choice of landing in the street in a Sailplane... I thought the first principle of being a good Sailplane pilot was always being ready to carr y out a safe out landing?I reckon he made a mistake, and then I guess he made up for it by walking away from what was a no options high speed and desperate landing in a fairly congested area. Luckily there were no pedestrians on the footpath.

IMO

Since I started flying I have had many engine failures and not once considered a road as a suitable option, there are many problems with landing on roads, camber, wires, poles, posts and traffic, my advise is a road should be a last option. This pilot was so lucky in many ways.

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Since I started flying I have had many engine failures and not once considered a road as a suitable option, there are many problems with landing on roads, camber, wires, poles, posts and traffic, my advise is a road should be a last option. This pilot was so lucky in many ways.

Hi His decission appears the best choice, put the fusealage with yourself in it between the hard bits and let loosing wings and bits scrub of speed. He was on the ride to stop; with no alternative choices. It's a shame about the post and the letter boxes that caught his right wing, as the damge bill then went sykward. Good on him for fessing up that he got on the wrong side of the hill, all his doing, down low, got no lift to get back onto the other side (I expect he would then be within reach of his airfield) and then had to select his best landing area option. All the fenced paddocks or allotments look too short. Good he's Ok and good to share the experience.

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

[icebob]

I think he did very well, the last sentance of the report said it all. How many of us would of done so well as a "trainee"?

 

Bob.

 

 

[Ballpoint 246niner]

I did about a dozen outlandings in gliders when I flew them heaps and worst I managed was a broken U/C door in a stubble paddock, and a few de-rigs as they were too short/ soft to tow out of- it was a carton shout for outlandings in those days!

 

It seems weird to have a soaring site so close to a built up area, once you go over the back you're committed. I reckon he did an awesome job to thread it in there if that was all he had by way of options, hate to see his bar tab though!

 

 

[Exadios]

All this talk of not having a choice of landing in the street in a Sailplane... I thought the first principle of being a good Sailplane pilot was always being ready to carr y out a safe out landing?I reckon he made a mistake, and then I guess he made up for it by walking away from what was a no options high speed and desperate landing in a fairly congested area. Luckily there were no pedestrians on the footpath.

IMO

As you say this pilot made his mistake probably about half an hour before he landed and flew himself into a corner. Our training is that a road are not a landing option. Having said that we did have one of our pilots land on a Haulpak road. :)

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Not being a glider pilot I won't judge...

 

 

[Exadios]

Not being a glider pilot I won judge...

Actually, the decision making process is the same whether you are flying a glider or a power plane.

 

You can usually tell if a pilot flying a power plane is also a glider pilot just by the way they fly.

 

 

[XC-Buzzard]

If he was released at 4,500 ft , then he had ample altitude to make a few sorties back and forth trying to sniff out some lift, before the sink / lift instrument buzzing its head off in a continuous deafening squeal Indicating nothing but Sink for his efforts, would of caught his attention. He should have proximate d himself over the Strip well before dropping below the height of the Ridge. That was his downfall (literally) , But all said and done , once he realized his predicament , as a student, He's done very well under pressure to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear in IMO. As they always said in WW1 , any landing you walk away from is a good landing.

 

 

[Teckair]

Not being a glider pilot I won't judge...

Just keep flying and you most likely will be.

The decisions you make early on will determine how successful you are. A lot can be learned from this example of what not to do.

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Sigh....