Power off emergency

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RTC'83
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Power off emergency

Post by RTC'83 »

Working on emergency off field landing. Power off, set plane for best glide, picked field for landing, plane full flaps 65 kias, plane down for simulated landing and notice cows on pasture, so now what, continue a glide until I see a better field?
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Warmi
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by Warmi »

RTC'83 wrote:Working on emergency off field landing. Power off, set plane for best glide, picked field for landing, plane full flaps 65 kias, plane down for simulated landing and notice cows on pasture, so now what, continue a glide until I see a better field?

Hard to say , every engine out scenario is rather custom ..but if you are down below at the point where you can clearly see cows ,unless there was another field just a hop over some road or something like that , I would try to make best out of my original pick ...
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3Dreaming
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by 3Dreaming »

I wouldn't put flaps down until you are absolutely sure you have your field made, and by then you are pretty much committed. Do your best to avoid the cows. Before you get low enough to actually see the cows you should be able to see the signs of their existence in the form of trails around the pasture. Maybe use this to choose a different field before you are committed.

So I'm from the Midwest, land of corn and beans. End of July or first of August which do you choose for an emergency landing, and why?
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FastEddieB
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by FastEddieB »

When able, I find its best to choose a landing spot well within the gliding range of the aircraft. Then, head directly to that at best glide speed. Once over it, circle down and try to roll out abeam the intended landing spot downwind at about 1,000’, and fly a pretty much standard pattern, albeit a little closer in to avoid coming up short.

Notes:

1) As 3Dreaming said, no flaps until the landing is assured.

2) Be comfortable with slips, in case you really are too high on final even with fill flaps.

3) The whole reasoning behind circling down and flying a relatively normal pattern is that pilots tend to be notoriously bad at judging glide capability on long, straight-in approaches.

4) If the only good field requires a long, straight-in approach, remember that at a constant airspeed and configuration, if the landing spot is moving up in the windscreen, you’ll come up short and need to find another option. I’d it moves down, you’re overshooting and will need to adjust for that.

5) Remember that a windmilling prop has more drag than at idle power, so give yourself just a bit more wiggle room on the high side to account for the decreased glide range in a real engine out.

Anyway, a good plan is to practice engine-outs on a regular basis. Just keep altitude until over your destination airport at some random altitude and pull power. And be sure to let people know what you’re doing.
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drseti
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by drseti »

3Dreaming wrote: So I'm from the Midwest, land of corn and beans. End of July or first of August which do you choose for an emergency landing, and why?
I would choose the beans. They're far softer than impacting corn cobs at 45 knots. Alfalfa or hay is even better. But, this reminds me...

Many decades ago, I trained in Hawaii (shuttling back and forth across Oahu, between Ford Island Naval Air Station and Dillingham AFB). When I lined up on a field for a simulated emergency landing, my instructor yelled "No! Never pick a cane field. Always go for the pineapple!"

Of course, as a mainlander, I didn't know sugar cane fields from pineapple fields. Moral: wherever you fly, learn the local crops.
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3Dreaming
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by 3Dreaming »

drseti wrote:
3Dreaming wrote: So I'm from the Midwest, land of corn and beans. End of July or first of August which do you choose for an emergency landing, and why?
I would choose the beans. They're far softer than impacting corn cobs at 45 knots. Alfalfa or hay is even better. But, this reminds me...

Many decades ago, I trained in Hawaii (shuttling back and forth across Oahu, between Ford Island Naval Air Station and Dillingham AFB). When I lined up on a field for a simulated emergency landing, my instructor yelled "No! Never pick a cane field. Always go for the pineapple!"

Of course, as a mainlander, I didn't know sugar cane fields from pineapple fields. Moral: wherever you fly, learn the local crops.
Hay wouldn't be bad. Not many Alfalfa fields around here.

I figured someone would pick beans. When you get to that time of year both are getting fairly mature. Pick the Corn. Both will probably total the airplane, but with Beans you have a far greater chance winding up on your back.
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by drseti »

3Dreaming wrote:with Beans you have a far greater chance winding up on your back.
Aha!
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by 3Dreaming »

And I have been told it is different if you areflying a sailplane. It will stay on topp of the beans.
WB714PR
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Re: Power off emergency

Post by WB714PR »

I had a boss when I worked for the Navy who actually had an emergency landing in a field. I think he ended up in a corn field. His advice was to make sure you line up your landing with the rows of the crop. He ended up perpendicular to the rows and went nose over.
Though, I am not sure how low you have to get to figure out which way the rows are running. I guess you can assume that the longest side of the field is how the rows run - less turning around for the farmers?
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