Pilots, what happens if you land somewhere besides and airport (emergency or not)?

biosurfer1 · 07-08-2013, 02:28 PM

Every once in a while I see a report of a plane that had to land on a freeway or some farm field, etc. and I've always wondered, is there some repercussion for doing this? Are they able to take off once everything is checked out? Will their license get taken away? What if it wasn't an emergency, like getting lost or running out of gas (sort of an emergency), any difference then?

They always show the plane sitting there on the freeway but I've always wondered "what then?"

Just curious

MT930 · 07-08-2013, 02:37 PM

It depends on the circumstance, if you run it out of gas the Feds FAA take a dim view of that and may make you take the plane apart to get it out. If the landing was precautionary and you did it with skill and care they will review your experience and let you take off if the airplane can be fixed quickly and the conditions are safe.

Nothing worse than being in a sick airplane. Your only interest is putting it on the ground with out injury, to hell with the plane.

HHI944 · 07-08-2013, 02:57 PM

My cousin (who has almost 20000hrs on rotors but only a few hundred fixed wing) put my uncles plane down on a field after forgetting he had to switch tanks.....the FAA was not amused, but ultimately allowed him to take off. . .about 48hrs later

Zeke · 07-08-2013, 04:00 PM

Big difference from the freeway or some golf course and an open field being able to take off from where the plane landed, wouldn't you think? The ones I have seen get flat bedded out. Even at the beach and that's got to be expensive.

johnco · 07-08-2013, 04:31 PM

my father landed(?) his plane on the road running in front of the fabrication yard he worked at with intentions of parking it inside a building to protect it from an oncoming hurricane. ended up nose down on the railroad tracks after knocking out 7 windshields. didn't get into any trouble with the FAA and didn't affect his license. didn't have one. he never bothered to get a licensed even though he owned 5 planes over the years. he did suffer years of snickering, laughing and jokes about his flying skills though

widgeon13 · 07-08-2013, 04:35 PM

I have a friend that put a Pitts down on a golf course and resolved the mechanical problem and hauled it away. Not enough room to take off but no damage to course or plane and FAA was ok with all.

Zeke · 07-08-2013, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widgeon13

I have a friend that put a Pitts down on a golf course and resolved the mechanical problem and hauled it away. Not enough room to take off but no damage to course or plane and FAA was ok with all.

Do you yell "fore" when coming in? (Note: I see most have a full canopy.)

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

Sometimes if the highway is not busy then the Police may block traffic and give you sufficient time and road to take off.

gshase · 07-08-2013, 07:11 PM

Twice I had engine outs and always made it to an airport.

MT930 · 07-08-2013, 08:54 PM

When I was a young CFI in 1988 I landed a Piper Warrior with a engine fire at a regional Airport with a Air National Guard base with F-4's in the pattern. With the exception of the tower staff who I knew a few of, I never talked to any body else including the FAA. Just a Phone interview with the tower.

Much of the cowling was gone at touch down

I pulled the mixture and fuel shut off as soon as I knew the airport was reachable.