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Pilot Uses iPad to Find Airport After Electrical Failure, Makes Belly Landing in South Dakota
After suffering a complete electrical failure The pilot of the single engine Piper PA-24 Comanche diverted to Rapid City, SD. Due to the loss of all electrics, he lost the use of his aircraft's GPS, radio, and landing gear control. The pilot used his Ipad to direct him, in the night, the 80 miles to the nearest airfield with Emergency Services. The aircraft made an emergency belly landing on the small runway used for GA aircraft. Both pilot and passenger walked away with no injuries. (www.kotatv.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I give him a "D-". He apparently had plenty of gas so time wasn't a problem. He had azimuth/distance info from the I-pad(?)plus he surely would have had a Sectional Chart showing route and adjacent airfields? His attitude indicator,airspeed, and mag compass (and DG?) were all good.......so where is the emergency? Was it that he didn't have a flash light? Because that's all he needed to see his flt insts and map!
And landing gear up w/out even attempting to use the manual gear lowering procedure? That makes absolutely no sense! A precautionary landing nearest appropriate airfield? Certainly!But otherwise what's the big deal? Simply another VFR night landing.....the inst panel lighting is just coming from a flash light. I personally carry three, one of which I can hold in my mouth. That's right...my mouth. It doesn't taste to good but when your solo it frees your hands. :-)
And landing gear up w/out even attempting to use the manual gear lowering procedure? That makes absolutely no sense! A precautionary landing nearest appropriate airfield? Certainly!But otherwise what's the big deal? Simply another VFR night landing.....the inst panel lighting is just coming from a flash light. I personally carry three, one of which I can hold in my mouth. That's right...my mouth. It doesn't taste to good but when your solo it frees your hands. :-)
My guess is that either the E gear mech didn't work or he was just concentrating on flying the airplane on a dark nite and didn't want to get distracted. I wouldn't fault him for that.
No way it can not work, open a door on the floor, remove the motor latch, push the lever down [free fall to lock]
Maybe he just didn't want to screw with it and risk something worse. Belly landing is no big deal. He got to go home and have a cocktail with his wife. End of story.
Belly landing no big deal?? No pilots (or pax!!) I know would agree with that!
Extensive damage to fuselage, flaps and prop plus fire risk from spark-trail is a very big, and very expensive, deal! And that's w/out even considering the many safety factors including lack of directional control and possible catastrophic contact w/fixed objects near the runway.
Extensive damage to fuselage, flaps and prop plus fire risk from spark-trail is a very big, and very expensive, deal! And that's w/out even considering the many safety factors including lack of directional control and possible catastrophic contact w/fixed objects near the runway.
I have no idea why he decided (if he did) to belly land. No way to know what else was going on but maybe something that made him want down NOW. Not for me to throw rocks. His plane, his decision, and they walked away. And I have seen a bunch of belly landings, several in person. Haven't seen anyone hurt yet. Have also seen pilots crash and meet their maker just because a door popped open.
[This poster has been suspended.]