Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six B, N600JG: Fatal accident occurred October 18, 2022 in Brentwood, Williamson County, Tennessee

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Nashville, Tennessee

Aircraft experienced engine issues and crashed in a residential area.

https://registry.faa.gov/N600JG

Date: 18-OCT-22
Time: 09:35:00Z
Regis#: N600JG
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA32
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Total Fatal: 1
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal 
Pax: 0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: DESTROYED
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
Operation: 91
City: BRENTWOOD
State: TENNESSEE

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.


Christopher Wiltcher



BRENTWOOD, Tennessee  (WSMV) - The Brentwood Police Department responded to a downed aircraft in Brentwood on Tuesday morning.

BPD confirmed a man died when a small plane crashed on Old Smyrna Road. The pilot’s family identified him as 62-year-old Christopher Wiltcher.

The area will be closed from Jones Parkway to Edmondson Pike to traffic for members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the incident.

The FAA reported the plane was a Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six B and Wiltcher was flying alone. The plane took off from Springfield-Robertson County Airport in Springfield, Tennessee and was headed for Fayetteville Municipal Airport in Fayetteville, Tennessee.

In an audio recording obtained by WSMV 4, Wiltcher can be heard telling an air traffic controller he was having engine problems. He requested an emergency landing at John C. Tune Airport, before asking to land at Nashville International Airport.

Wiltcher can be heard asking the air traffic controller to tell his family he loves them. WSMV 4 News has chosen not to air the recording.

Brentwood officials also confirmed the plane took out multiple power lines when it came down, causing several outages in the area. Those have since been restored.

“When we got up of course we had power but around 7:40, all of our power went out,” said neighbor Ray Mercer. “Just a few minutes later, we heard all the sirens come by. First it was an emergency vehicle, fire department, then all the cops coming by.”

The road will remain closed until the wreckage is cleared. The NTSB will begin its crash investigation on Wednesday.

Wiltcher’s family said Wednesday morning he was a traveling OBGYN who had been practicing for over 30 years. He has been flying since he was 15 and flew for leisure.



96 comments:

  1. pa-32 do not glide well at all. Tragic.

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  2. This one is so sad. ATC Live (BNA approach 10/18 12:30-1:00 zulu) he reported a rough engine (N600JG) and was communicating with ATC trying to get to BNA. Was flying from Springfield TN to Fayetteville TN. He is a OBGYN that worked as a LOCUM for many area hospitals. My wife, who is a nurse, worked with him very often and said he was such a nice man, always was buying lunch for the team he was working with. Prayers to all affected.

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  3. Flight Aware shows in last 6 min of flight plane was descending from 5400 Ft to 1800 ft at 250 ft per min increasing to 1200 ft per min at end . Speed looks fairly constant . Sad way to lose a good doctor .

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  4. Why people fly these ancient lead-weight tanks remains a mystery. This was a 1969 vintage aircraft with the glide ratio of a rock.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The mid 2000's model of this plane is several hundred pounds heavier.

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    2. Because not everyone has $900,000 for a new Cirrus SR22. As long as the airplane is well maintained and the pilot is proficient and respects the limitations, these ancient lead weight tanks fly quite well. Just my $0.02.

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    3. Great comment above. Not to mention that most these planes (Cirrus included) are powered by some variation of a Continental or Lycoming engine developed in the 1950s

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    4. You'd think by now the piston engine (especially for aircraft) would be a thing of the past. And yes, I get that good maintenance goes a very long in keeping them 'reliable', but there's always a chance something can get overlooked. IMO, the weakest link is the mechanic followed by the shop.

      And we can't leave out poor design choices and manufacturer procrastination. How many GA aircraft this month and last crashed because of engine issues?

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    5. The age of the plane is irrelevant, the most dependable plane I flew was a 1946, I have flown poorly maintained newer aircraft that scared me, and vise versa, aircraft ain’t like your Buick

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    6. Many older planes are out there flying with many years since overhaul. Add to that planes that are privately owned and not flown regularly, not good for the humid eastern US...The IO-540 Lyc. is a wonderful engine..

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    7. Data shows TSIO, meaning turbocharged???

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    8. I have yet to see six people get out of a Cirrus. Flew several models 135 and while it was a bit of a ‘truck’, it was a great plane. Limit the fuel and yes, you could carry 6 non-obese types and not be over weight.

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    9. "Why people fly these ancient lead-weight tanks remains a mystery. This was a 1969 vintage aircraft with the glide ratio of a rock."

      Tell us you know nothing about aviation without actually saying it. The ignorance and arrogance are beyond the pale.

      Delete
    10. Thanks, Ed, for saying what I wanted to impart in a civil manner.

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    11. Hi, Ed. I have been a commercial pilot since 1985, then career FAA (ATC), started ownership with a C150 while in training, etc., so I think I know a little about airplanes, and I agree more with the OP than I do with you. So... I think GA for the common man is standing on its last leg in terms of costs, particularly insurance given the number of fatals per flight hour and the payouts that we are seeing. One of the reasons for that, in addition to the lack of training that Gryder, Browne, and a few CFI's are attempting to publicize and correct, is the poor reliability of small GA aircraft. Not only does the model in this accident have a design from about 70 years ago, including a relatively poor glide ratio, but it's in an airframe that is known for coming apart in-flight on occasion. Either small GA, as an industry (manufacturers and users) are going to have to step up their game and cost-efficiency, or it is going to be little more than a sport with paramotors, etc., in the future. The LSA attempt has been little more than a diversion that sure hasn't been working out in the data, either, both for cost and hull losses.

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    12. You armchair quarterbacks with no knowledge of what the subject is; Go stick to Facebook. Your ignorant comments are not welcome.

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    13. SO, what do YOU fly, Modern Lightweight Airplane Driver? And how well does it accommodate a healthy 6-foot+ pilot? Does it fly well in IMC and gusty rough conditions? Does it not shatter on a hard landing? Or a grass strip?

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    14. Not helpful. Keep your ignorant comments to yourself!

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    15. "SO, what do YOU fly, Modern Lightweight Airplane Driver?" Proven, turbine-powered aircraft. Most can carry several 6 foot plus pilots who aren't even healthy (i.e., Americans). Power/weight and reliability are not even in the same range as recip. If that's too expensive, fly powered gliders for sport on perfect weather days and leave transportation to others.

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    16. Age of aircraft is irrelevant as stated. Pilot proficiency and aircraft maintenance are much more important on relatively new aircraft. There is usually a way out when the fan stops turning but we as pilots don’t always respond as trained. We make poor decisions because we’re human. Even we’ll trained, experienced pilots can have tragic endings.
      The key to improving the odds is currency training along with putting in the hours to stay current. Flying once a month and depending on an annual inspection is flirting with disaster, even though that is perfectly legal. That’s right, perfectly legal. A pilot is only required to have a biennial flight test every two years and an annual inspection of the aircraft once a year. Perfectly legal but STUPID. You’d be surprised of how little some pilots fly (to carry passengers there is a 90 day requirement).
      I haven’t flown in years but a quick 3rd class. medical and a biennial flight review puts me right back in the cockpit to carry passengers and mix it up with all the pilots. In the end, you are the best judge as to your competency to fly an aircraft.

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    17. I fly weekly, have a home simulator (where I fly instrument approaches to every airport before traveling) and I'm an A&P who has read every word in the annual inspection requirement for my plane. I do depend on my mechanics because I don't have time to do the work myself. I'm also an MD which may negate everything I just wrote in someone's eyes. My experience is there are 2 types - those who envy and thus dislike MDs, and those who respect our profession and understand the sacrifices made. That said, a 'Toga with an ailing engine is a brick. He was at 5000 over Brentwood - there were many places he could have safely landed. Too bad he pushed it. RIP

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  5. I feel much more at ease flying a plane that is still flying from the 1940's instead of a newer plane that has yet unknown AD'S to come.

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    Replies
    1. A 1969 Cherokee 6 will carry an entire 1969 Cherokee 6.

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    2. That’s a valid comment! Flew many and they were essentially bulletproof and would carry almost anything you put in them. We used to practice engine outs and I don’t remember them gliding any worse than any other single, particularly with only me aboard. But when the big fan in front stops, you are going to be landing soon whether you like it or not. Blessings to the family. Such a terrible loss.

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  6. Looks like he was 14 miles from BNA at 5500 feet. No way to glide that far in that plane. I just wonder if he could have used that time and altitude to find a more suitable landing site. Easy to say maybe not so easy when you are in the thick of an emergency

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    Replies
    1. He did. I used to live right where he crashed, there's plenty of totally empty roads with no traffic that he could of used. Instead he went for the farm, which in the past was used as a landing strip. I think he just turned too hard, stalled, and clipped the trees on Old Smyrna Rd. It will be interesting what Dan Gryder has to say about this one.

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    2. Please, do not speculate until we hear from Dan.

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    3. Pls don't encourage that one-man clown show.

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    4. Also pay no attention to Dan's shoot from the hip speculation. He is pretty clear he just wants to be as controversial as possible to get more clicks and donations to his bogus "animal rescue" org that is not an actual registered charity nor has it saved a single animal so far.

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    5. That guy has lost his mind. Shady character.

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    6. DG's history provides some context.
      Link to posted comment/links on Catch a Cardinal & DC3 incident:

      http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2022/02/beechcraft-58-baron-n58lf-fatal.html?showComment=1645996329892#c4278025726162779462

      Partner lawsuit:
      https://cases.justia.com/georgia/court-of-appeals/2019-a19a1285.pdf?ts=1572534531

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  7. There's a very distinct rattling sound over the audio recording when the pilot is interacting with ATC. The pilot stated he was able to maintain altitude for some time and he poignantly tells the controller to tell his family he loves them. Looking at the area of the crash on Google maps, there are open areas that I would try to put it down. Unfortunately, one of those areas is a set of high energy electrical transmission lines. It can be really hard to discern those kinds of features when working an emergency so I doubt I could have done better. My condolences to the family and friends of the pilot. It seems he was handling it well, with calm and focus.

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  8. I ferried a 1966 PA32-300 from NJ to SC years ago, it was a derelict aircraft on ferry permit. It had some trash, possibly algae in the outboard tanks and I knew it but chose to make the flight using the inboard tanks. It began to run roughly near Marfa, VA so I landed and a local A&P checked it out and found no problems. The next day I resumed my trip, had the same issue as I neared North Myrtle Beach. I landed and as soon as I brought the power back to idle the engine quit and wouldn't restart. ATC sent a tug to tow me to the ramp. It turned out to be trash in the 'spider'.
    I'm not saying this is what happened with N600JG but I noticed on his Flight Aware this plane had made several sub-30 minute round robin flights at his base airport. It appears he knew there was a problem prior to beginning this flight.

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    Replies
    1. excellent obsevation. I suspect this MD ignored some clear warnings signs before this fatal crash in low ceilings.

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    2. Sure. Just because he’s an MD he ignored clear warning signs. He probably didn’t even understand lift or basic aerodynamics. He probably just guessed his fuel load and trusted his gauges. I mean, MDs are so laid back, care free, unorganized, child like, egotistical and narcissistic humans. No way they could be accomplished pilots. Complete BS speculation. Everyone loves to pick on MDs, I think because their jealous and get dopamine rush when a human MD goes down. Not because he’s human but because he’s an MD and MDs shouldn’t fly. Bogus!

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  9. It doesn't matter that the Cherokee Six has a less-than-optimal glide ratio compared to some other airplane. Any pilot who knows what he's doing can deal with it. That would be a flimsy excuse propagated by someone who knows nothing about flying.

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  10. Looking at the track and listening to audio, it seems like the pilot was either baited by ATC or personally bias towards returning to the airport instead looking for a suitable landing area within range.

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    Replies
    1. Look at it from ATC's point of view. All they know about is airports and major roads. There is no way their scope could possible show every suitable landing area especially when that can easily change over time. So of course they are only going to tell you about what they know ... roads and airports. That's not "baiting", it's just reality. If you want to map suitable landing areas, do it yourself in Foreflight or your favorite EFB app, it's very easy.

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    2. You don't sound like a pilot. By saying he got "baited" by ATC, he means the pilot chose to listen to ATC instead of taking control of the situation himself and making his own decisions. Its the pilots responsibility to find a suitable landing spot regardless of what ATC says. Check FAR 91.3.

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    3. Another example where the pilot was either influenced by ATC or bias towards heading to the airport instead of picking a field, or even the private airstrip below, when the issue started is N30EV.

      http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2022/08/fatal-accident-occurred-august-13-2022.html

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  11. I own and fly a ‘68’ Piper 180. My brother has a PA 32 Cherokee six 300. We know something about these aircraft. I can’t believe some of comments, obviously from people who have no clue what they are talking about. I would go anywhere in my well maintained Piper. My brother just got back from Florida in his. Statistics show that the pilot is most often the week link, not maintenance or mechanics, with exceptions of course. My brother wanted a ‘79’ or newer six because the older ones had 4 fill caps and 4 tank selections. Easy to select the wrong tank. Many engines have quit from a simple case of being set on a near empty tank by mistake. Don’t know what happened, but this HAS been the cause of other crashes with older 6s. We shall see. My heart goes out to his family and friends. My dad was killed in his plane in 66. I was just 13. I have been there. Pray for them all.

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  12. Lots of great areas in Franklin to land. He made the turn back to KBNA over franklin township at 5400ft I’m a cfi in the area and practice with students where he made the turn. When a reciprocating engine fails it might limp by for a bit but not long enough to get much a distance. RIP

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    Replies
    1. It does seem that the pilot aligned to an open area.

      News photo of road at crash, note unique trees at left:
      https://williamsonhomepage.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/aa/6aae5ecc-4f00-11ed-a857-278be37bdcb8/634ed237ecdbb.image.jpg

      Found the matching location on Street View:
      https://goo.gl/maps/2qmpJmNpCnapPRLVA

      Spin the street view to the right and here is where he was going:
      https://goo.gl/maps/RBvhSPJ3UHd9Ktf79

      The pilot did align for an open field. Snagging those power lines interfered with reaching the green. So close to making it.

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  13. It appears the pilot was Christopher Wiltcher, 62. RIP!

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    Replies
    1. Christopher Wiltcher Does not appear as licensed pilot in FAA site?
      Obituary says he was flying since he was a teenager. Did he have a license?


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    2. Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT
      Date of Issue: 4/21/2008

      Ratings:
      PRIVATE PILOT
      AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
      INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

      Delete
  14. There is a piece of wing or tail up in the tree directly over the wreckage. Didn't continue on very far after taking out the top row of power line cables:

    https://williamsonhomepage.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/aa/6aae5ecc-4f00-11ed-a857-278be37bdcb8/634ed237ecdbb.image.jpg

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  15. a friend of mine lost power on one because of the single drive for both magnetos. the drive sheared killing both mags instantly. he was at 7000 on a clear day glided to an area in a swamp at the florida georgia border and landed safely on a dirt logging trail in the middle of nowhere. gear down he made a perfect landing but on rolling out hit a fence post and tore off a wing. climbed out and walked down the road and met the sheriff coming to find him. he was talking to center the whole time and they had his location provided by a passing c130 who saw him landing. he made a glider out of the cherokee

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    Replies
    1. Always wondered how that mag design passed any sort of certification. Two mags for redundancy, right?

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    2. yeah its not like lycoming to do dumb stuff like that. the io540 is an awesome engine.

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  16. Tragically there were lots of open field landing spots right in front of him to the south when he announced his trouble. By turning back towards John Tune, then BNA, he put himself over heavily treed populated areas. He originally announced a "rough running " engine over Franklin and stated at one point that he could maintain level flight 10 miles inbound to BNA. His faith in keeping some partial power was sadly misplaced.

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  17. Media Picture of road at crash site shows open area on left side of road where plane may could have landed .

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  18. Tragic as is any accident. This is a reminder to know your engine out glide range and if no airport available, look for a field or a road. A rough engine is a dead engine waiting to happen.

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  19. This is really sad. RIP. One thing everyone should remember is when engine's quit on these heavy high performance singles, they come down fast. There's not much time and it's certainly not easy. Good fortune required.

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  20. I don't know what the winds aloft were like at the time but on the surface at Nashville:

    KBNA 181253Z 31005KT 10SM FEW050 03/M06 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP182 T00281056 $
    KBNA 181153Z 32009G16KT 10SM FEW050 02/M07 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP172 T00221067 10044 20017 53

    If from out of the North like at the surface, a headwind, there was no way to glide all the way to Nashville or Smyrna. That's a tough spot to be in.

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  21. Thank You for the comment

    “One Man Clown Show” ,

    I Do my best,

    Johny Bob Musgrave

    ReplyDelete
  22. Apparently he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn (that's what I just heard on the sunday night video). What a maroon.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the creator of that sunday night video certainly is a maroon. He makes outlandish claims for shock value and clicks based on nothing more than a partial flightaware track and a liveatc recording. I assume he can live with himself smearing the reputations of deceased pilots because he has convinced himself that being a youtube shock jock is the only thing he can do to get people to fly right.

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    2. What else has worked so far, might I ask?

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    3. Well something is working because accidents and fatals on average have decreased year over year. It could be a lot of things, better tech, the wings program, safety content from orgs like the AOPA flight safety institute. There will really never be a way for us to know for certain how each thing contributes. But I doubt one joker throwing dead pilots under the bus with no evidence is the thing that's going to help us move the needle.

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    4. Latest Nall report from last year:

      Non-commercial fixed-wing GA:

      “With overall accidents (988) trending downward, a decrease in flight activity for this category nudged the accident rate (5.62) upward.

      “Non-commercial fixed-wing showed a slight increase in fatal accidents (179), with the fatal accident rate (1.02) rising due to the decreased flight activity.” Around 70% of all accidents are still determined to be pilot caused. Gryder and all are spot-on about the lack of AQP and the difference that makes in commercial. He’s also spot-on about the lack of NTSB making timely recommendations from what is known and suspected, even if it may turn out to need amending from more facts down the road.

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    5. None of the programs you mention deal with the specific, scenario-based approach that AQP does. It's always amazing to see GA or even 135 pilots look at the air carrier safety data as if the drastic contrast must just be in the equipment or extra crew member or this or that minor difference in proficiency. It isn't. Never has been. I was at a large pilot's association event several years ago where a controller discussed the difference between safety practices that they see and hear from the airlines vs. what they see from GA. When that is night-and-day, the results are going to be night-and-day.

      Gryder says a lot of things I wouldn't say, but he does quite a bit of checking of available evidence and with other people most familiar with the situation on the accidents that he focuses on. Those he just rattles off are probably about a 2/3 chance of being generally correct just from experience, meaning that he'll always have plenty of corrections and apologies to do from his style. Is it worth it to get info out there and reviewed? I think so.

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    6. "Miracle in the Cornfield", the sad N7893F C150 fail is unknown to the YT fan club, but the embarrassing truth is out:
      https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103536/pdf

      Don't let fake "experts" touch your controls.....

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    7. Interesting accident report, so Dan basically violated multiple of his AQP list on that flight, including a showboating approach with 40 degrees of flaps for no good reason, and letting his USB charger block the flap switch. Ironically, his student Brock crashed and died from flying a 172 with flaps 40 at the wrong time. Also interesting looking at the docket https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103536 Dan refused to fill out the 6120.1 which is a federal crime per 49 CFR 830. Gotta love these do as I say not as I do types.

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    8. Re/ Interesting accident report: Had you or the NTSB actually been concerned with fact finding rather than trolling DG, it would have been obvious that had the USB port been in place during the flight the flaps could not have been extended in the first place.
      The NTSB appears not perform a useful function insofar as GA is concerned. If it felt the need to be helpful, maybe recommend that a
      an aux power socket be located so as not to obstruct the flap switch.

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  23. If that controller happens to stumble onto this page, know that you did right by this pilot and provided a calm, clear and comforting voice in this man's last moments. This isn't on you, and I hope I have someone like you on the other end of the radio when it's my turn.

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  24. Power lines could have been hidden by trees . YouTuber said pilot could not hit side of barn .

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    1. I wish the FAA would investigate Dan Gryders bogus animal rescue. After his last video and the awful speculations he made about this pilot he needs his certificate yanked. Isn’t he ‘holding out’ asking for money?

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    2. His "donate money" page states that the organization is not a 501 charity, which makes it fail the ‘‘volunteer pilot organization providing charitable medical transportation’’ definition that allows an aircraft owner or operator to accept reimbursement from a volunteer pilot organization for the fuel costs.

      FAA has it's hands full trying to interdict illegal charters hauling people, seems less likely they can go after dog transport. Those 87,000 new IRS agents are going to be better able to check up on questionable "charity" situations.

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    3. Conspiracy Theorist Party alert, formerly those in favor of the Republic. 87,000 new agents according to a fallacious Instagram post that doesn't understand how long presidents are in office, what positions are hired for, nor how many detectives there are in the US. Maybe operating without a need for credible facts also helps to explain the GA fatal rate.

      Delete
    4. Forbes is in on the conspiracy - LOL!
      https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2022/08/11/irs-to-add-87000-new-agents-more-crypto-tax-enforcement/?sh=a41876c3213e

      I'd be looking over my shoulder running a fake charity with more enforcement being part of the plan.

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    5. Of course Forbes is. When haven't they been for years now? Like FOX, they know where their bread is buttered. Every once in a while, FOX forgets (like 2020 election night) and starts doing some journalism instead of partisan advocacy. Forbes sees the result and knows the score.

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    6. The people controlling your thoughts are laughing at all this.

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    7. A country that can’t decide whether it’s a republic or a democracy. Only in America will you find people rushing to global platforms to wail that democracy will die if their guy doesn’t win..even tho the other guy is literally called a democrat. You couldn’t make this stuff up. But it’s entertaining to watch when it’s not your country.
      And RIP and condolences to the deceased pilots loved ones and to all who knew and worked with him. Another terribly sad loss to the medical community.

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  25. RIP I'm certain you did everything you could to survive. Bless you.

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    Replies
    1. After it was too late, he probably did. The time to act was when the engine first showed issues. Instead of identifying a landing spot nearby he tried to go back to an airport, which was the fatal mistake.

      If you are a pilot, I hope you use this as a learning experience and not continue flying thinking he did everything he could. Otherwise, my prayers go out for you and your future passengers.

      This is an example of a pilot who knew to stay near a landing/ditching because of engine issues, and not go straight to an airport:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmYJkrd5REg

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    2. It's easy to Monday-morning quarterback this stuff, but none of us know how badly his engine was performing initially. It's not always black and white. Obviously no one is going to immediately land in a field at the first hint of engine trouble. From his radio calls, it sounds like the engine was running rough but still able to hold altitude, so continuing to the airport was a totally reasonable call. Many times, engines will run rough and lose a bit of power, but don't quit and sometimes even recover, and the pilot makes it to the airport fine. We don't ever hear about those cases because those pilots don't file any reports nor do they make the news. Landing off field for any reason is very risky and not something any pilot takes lightly.

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    3. You sound like the "did everything you could" guy. Also, nobody said "immediately land in a field" except you. Furthermore, this has nothing to do with "Monday-morning" or hindsight. I would never head straight for a runway if I had an engine issue unless I was within gliding range; not today, not Monday, and not 20 years ago.

      The goal is to "stay near a landing/ditching" area when you have an engine issue. You want to fly over suitable landing areas while on your way to the airport and not head straight to the runway; possibly putting you over populated areas or out of range of landing sites. If anything, use some of your C's, Climb and Circle over a landing/ditching spot until you determine the full extent of the issue.

      You can have 20,000 hours and if you never had an issue during those hours, you will be just as prepared for an engine out in flight as a 20 hour pilot. The smart ones will learn from this incident, and all the hard headed ones say "nothing else you could have done" and hope they get lucky in the future.

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    4. Oversupply of righteous quarterbacks here. Be thankful he didn't incinerate or maim motorists by trying a landing attempt in the weekday morning traffic. As it was, he lined up for an open area but snagged the tall power lines, which could have happened just the same if he orbited the roughness onset area and picked an open space there. The QB's would then say "why didn't he use his altitude to get somewhere"...

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    5. You should always maintain extra speed on final when doing a forced landing so you can clear such obstacles; be it a power line or vehicle. Only way to learn about forced landings is here on the ground, and not up in the air.

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  26. Air traffic controllers have one job description, and that is to separate aircraft when able, either visually from a ground location (ground control or tower control) or in a RADAR environment.

    They are able to advise pilots on locations of airports and major highways if requested. They can also suggest if they feel it will be beneficial to a particular situation.

    The one thing they do not do is fly the plane and make decisions for a pilot.

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  27. ENGINE FAILURE IN FLIGHT: 1. Turn towards place you wanna land. 2. Trim for best glide. 3. Determine wind. 4. Set up for, and make the best soft / short field landing of your life. (& if time permits use checklist and make a radio call QUICKLY prior to reaching 1000' agl).

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    Replies
    1. Not according to all the "pilots" replying to this thread. Return to airport and pray the engine keeps working. Clearly he did "everything" he could...

      Be careful making logical statements like adding "Propeller" safety to your SAFETY briefing. Those get deleted with light speed on here.

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  28. After looking at many of recent SCF-PP events, it seems the "Partial" engine failure is worse than "Total" engine failure. Total engine failure makes you pick a landing spot and commit. Partial engine failure seems to give false hope to pilots. In many cases the pilot was the owner of the aircraft. I wonder if they are trying to save the airplane. I have heard quite a few smart pilots say "when the engine dies, the airplane belongs to the insurance company". I wonder how much research these pilots have done on engine failures and forced landings/ditchings.

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    1. Of course there is a preference for reaching a nearby airfield. The "false hope to pilots" viewpoint presumes that very few or no aircraft with a rough running engine ever make it to a field that was beyond glide distance from onset of trouble.

      Do aircraft that make it to a nearby airfield without incident after experiencing rough engine symptoms generate accident data records that permit a valid comparison to be made? Nope.

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    2. Of course there is a preference for reaching a nearby airfield. The "false hope to pilots" viewpoint presumes that very few or no aircraft with a rough running engine ever make it to a field that was beyond glide distance from onset of trouble.

      Do aircraft that make it to a nearby airfield without incident after experiencing rough engine symptoms generate accident data records that permit a valid comparison to be made? Nope.

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    3. Rough engine events, making it back to the field with no issues because the pilot knew it was only a sticking exhaust valve *DOES* generate FAA phone calls with weeks of follow up reporting. Ugh. (Spoken by someone who has had this happen)

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    4. Is your sticking valve event documented in CAROL?

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    5. Rule #1 get away from the trees. You land in the trees, 90% of you die.

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