What to do...

[davidgreig]

There was a crash this weekend south of Atlanta of a Cessna 172 that had just taken off, and had about 150 feet of altitude. The plane had just cleared the runway, and there were trees around the airport. The engine apparently died and the plane somehow ended up nosediving into the woods.

In a situation like this, where you've just taken off, and don't have enough altitude to return to the airport, and there are woods all around you, what is the recommended course of action? Trim the plane for straight and level flight and try to aim away from the biggest trees? Obviously damage to the plane is a seconday consideration, but what would the chances of surviving a crash like this be, assuming you made a controlled landing into the forest?

[BAYALON]

Easy to say than to do, but I would try to stall as low as poss. over the trees. My airfield has trees on one side and Power lines (450V)on the other. I do not know if this is a recommended idea, good question.

These kind of accidents are very survivable. Having said that, I don't believe I know of a formal procedure to follow except try to find somewhere to land directly in front of you. If that's a line of trees, I imagine your best bet is to hit them with as little force as possible.

I know of a student and instructor that ended up in the trees and both survived. The plane on the other hand...

[Citabria7ECA]

I have always heard that in any situation like that, save your butt. Don't worry about the airplane itself because if you save yourself, that is all that matters.

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Fly For Fun -- Fly Citabria!

[Citabria7ECA]

I have always heard that in any situation like that, save your butt. Don't worry about the airplane itself because if you save yourself, that is all that matters.

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Fly For Fun -- Fly Citabria!

[sideslip]

I have always been taught that you should attempt a normal landing as if you had a nice runway in front of you. Also aim between any trees rather than hit them directly. Any attempt to stall the plane just above the trees will probably result in a stall/spin. I have read that trying to do a normal landing is best because you will have a slow speed and a normal attitude on impact. Also wear those shoulder belts.

Mike S.

[sideslip]

One more thought.

Some of the best training I have received was in a course on emergency/off airport landings. In the course, I (with an experienced instructor and a properly equipped airplane) did numberous off airport landings in fields and small private strips.

It is a real shock the first few times you have to descend through a narrow slot in the trees and then turn to land in a rough, short field. It taught me to keep a cool head, always fly the plane and remember that airspeed is life. The big killer in emergency landings is stalling the plane.

Mike S.

[Sappie]

I was taught to air for a landing on TOP of teh trees, and aim for the most greenery, the theory behind thist is that the upper branches are a lot softer than the main trunk of the trees, and will slow the plane almost to a stop with minimal impact, The resulting fall to the ground will be a lot softer with a greater chance of survival than flying straight into the trunks of the trees. and a great big hole in the trees canopy area will make you a lot easier to spot ftom the air.
In Sydney we are surrounded by large heavily forested ares, 1000's of square miles of it.

[BAYALON]

Sideslip
When I mean to stall above the trees, I don't mean 100' above. What I mean is to stall land it, than your 'X' speed is minimal and your 'Y' speed is also low. Never try to to go to the lower part of thr tree, it is solid.

[canasdad]

I've read all the replies, and am appalled by some. (I am an ex CFII, ex military and ex Alaskan Bush Pilot with over 5000 hrs, ~4000 in Alaska)The key word in any landing, emergency or otherwise is CONTROL! You lose control in a stall, and hitting a tree (trunk or branch) head-on at 50+ MPH can spoil your whole week. Tree tops are guaranteed to have branches in them. Land the aircraft like you should in any short/soft field situation, at minimum controllable speed. Try to land between tree trunks, and use your wings to reduce your kinetic energy by allowing them to crumple and/or ripped off. Even if you only see the tops, aim between them in the clearest area straight ahead- no turns except very small one to avoid above-mentioned obstacles. You don't have too many options. Your aim is to keep the cabin structure (and your human cargo)intact. Then pray. Your plane is probably scrap anyway.

[BAYALON]

Canasdad
I guess that your comment was meant to me. Not a problem, it is never to late to learn and it is better to know what to do before rather than after.
This issue is something that you do not question until you know of an accident.

[canasdad]

Bayalon,
The "appalled" comment was actually aimed at the flight instruction received by everyone who wrote; even Sideslip, who made the most sense, was not POSITIVE about his comments-I applaud his instruction by the way, to actually land, or at least make approaches to short, dogleg, and unimproved runways (with the proper teacher and equipment).This is a great confidence builder for actual emergencies. As you said, most of us don't think too much about crashing until something drives it home (see the top of this chain). In the military, however, surviving crash landings is actually a pretty important syllabus- after all, the way that game is played is with real bullets coming your way with serious intentions at harming your aircraft and you. And of course in the Boondocks of Alaska and Canada, Mother Nature plays the part of the enemy - she can be a bitch. So I guess I've thought about it a bit more than most, and tried to teach my students that a prepared runway is unlikely to be there when you REALLY need it.

[This message has been edited by canasdad (edited 09-01-2000).]

[Sappie]

The theory i was tought was that the smaller braches in the top area of trees will absorb a large amount of the aircrafts kinetic energy, by breaking the branches and deformation of the aircrafts structure (wings) hopefully resulting in the cockpit area falling to the ground in the gaps between the trees. or even possably taking the tree down with you breaking the fall and minimising impact. Its not the crash that kills, its the sudden stop at the end.
By landing on the treetops, i dont mean stalling it in, but perform a short field landing using the tree canopys as your touchdown point.
i am welcome to any comments.

[tomhorn]

NEVER, EVER deliberately stall an airplane near the ground. Land straight and level with the ball centered at minimum controllable airspeed. If you have enough altitude to set up for the softest, bushiests treetops fine, but do not attempt to "steer" the airplane if the engine quits below about 300 feet. You run a great risk of getting the ball out of center or hitting with one wing low. Just keep going straight ahead, level and centered. Slow to minimum controllable airspeed, use full flaps if they are down or you know you can get them down and stabilize the airplane well before impact, if the gear is up, leave it that way, if its down and you KNOW you can get it up and have the aircraft stabilized before impact, then I'd retract it. First and foremost achive the lowest speed you can while maintaining a comfortable level of controlability over the FLYING airplane. Keep the wings level, the ball centered, shut down the electrics and shut off the fuel. Then land the airplane into whatever is in front of you. BTW make sure that your seat belt and shoulder harness are SECURELY FASTENED (and your seat back and tray table in their full upright and locked position ;-)). Maintain calm and composure. You will likely survive.BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT STALL THE AIRPLANE! IF YOU DO, YOU MAY NOSE OVER AND SMASH HARD INTO THE WINDSHIELD OR PANCAKE IN AND SHOVE YOUR SPINE RIGHT THROUGH THE TOP OF YOUR SKULL OR DROP A WING AND CARTWHEEL UNCONTROLLABLY!

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Tom Legg
Lake N616RW

[Frodo]

I would like to piggy back on what Canasdad had to say. Control is utmost important while you decide how the airplane will dissipate its energy. I have been trained in the Air Force Life Support school and would like to also point out that hitting the ground with a vertical component (i.e. through the floor board) is another recipe for disaster for two reasons: 1) There is less structure to absorb the impact and 2) the human spine doesn't do well in this area. You will be much better off if you take the impact head on and let the shoulder harness (You do have them installed, right?) do their job.

[This message has been edited by Frodo (edited 01-26-2001).]