The sky is falling...

[murrieta angler]

OK,
So Sheila and I get to Tamarack State Beach this morning at 7:00, to get a parking spot.
I didn't even try to fish, as it was a negative low tide.
Day is going okay, as lots of people are showing up to enjoy a day at the beach, for the 4th of July.
It's around 3:30 and as I scan across the sky I see a plane pulling an advertising banner, the Geico one.
I look away and a second later I see something out of the corner of my eye.

The pilot had let go of the banner....It is now turning right and going South, slowly losing altitude...
I say, "OH ****!!! It's going to land on the beach?!?"
People start running out of the way and you can hear people screaming, "MOVE, MOVE!!"
Most do, but the plane lands on the beach, hits a kid in the head and then flips over forward!!!

I immediately say a quick prayer and hope everyone is fine.
It was so surreal and yet , there it was.
This will be a 4th of July I will never forget.

Be safe everyone.
Robert
<><


http://www.10news.com/news/plane-cra...arlsbad-070415

[anchor3n1]

Wow Robert!!! That is amazing. I wonder how the kid is??? Glad you and Sheila are OK.

Blessings brother,

Nick

[bachiboy]

Wow, hope the boy pulls through. That's a crazy/scary experience. I had a plane crash right next to my car when I was driving near the Santa Monica airport and, no, it is nothing that you forget. Be safe and hope there at if yours and Sheila's weekend is a little more pleasant.

Be safe...
Don

[cutbait]

Well atleast the pilots ok....



Not really, jack *** pilot was selfish landing it on a crowded beach. JO should pay if that kid doesn't make it.

He did have somewhat control right?

[murrieta angler]

Well atleast the pilots ok....



Not really, jack *** pilot was selfish landing it on a crowded beach. JO should pay if that kid doesn't make it.

He did have somewhat control right?

A few of us thought the same thing, why didn't he land it in the water?!?
Robert
<><

[DEVOREFLYER]

I have several hundred hours of flight time in light aircraft and it is easy to Monday morning quarterback. The pilot made the best decision under the circumstances. Light aircraft are just that light weight and very fragile in comparison to other means of transportation. The plane also had a non retractable landing gear and the pilot side window opens less than a foot, too small to allow escape thru. Water is not soft and if he had attempted to land in the water it could have been a life ending event for the pilot.
First the minimum stall speed would have been higher than 60 mph. When the wheels first touched the water at that speed the plane would have flipped over and the fuselage would have most likely sustain damage preventing the door from being able to open. Drowning would have almost been a certainty; pilots are taught a water landing is a last resort in an emergency. He attempted to set the airplane down at the shoreline where the sand is firm. As such he still made contact with shallow water flipping the aircraft.
When an aircraft is underpowered or under no power your ability to control the aircraft is very very limited, gravity is not your friend. Tragic that someone sustained injury but my opinion is the pilot did everything by the book.

[cutbait]

I'm no legal genius and don't know if there would be legal ramifications if the boy dies but I do know morally he chose wrong.

Sully never would have don't that



Your right though. Monday morning quarterbacking and I wasn't the pilot.

But I have a real hard time thinking the right thing to do is land a plane on a beach in socal on the 4th of July.. No logic in that

[DEVOREFLYER]

Pilot has no more or less legal liability than you or I when we get into our car/truck.

Sully had no other choice but the East river or a skyscraper like 911 it was in NYC.

Psychology 101 "Save self". Not to many dead hero's in this world other than the military.

[murrieta angler]

I have several hundred hours of flight time in light aircraft and it is easy to Monday morning quarterback. The pilot made the best decision under the circumstances. Light aircraft are just that light weight and very fragile in comparison to other means of transportation. The plane also had a non retractable landing gear and the pilot side window opens less than a foot, too small to allow escape thru. Water is not soft and if he had attempted to land in the water it could have been a life ending event for the pilot.
First the minimum stall speed would have been higher than 60 mph. When the wheels first touched the water at that speed the plane would have flipped over and the fuselage would have most likely sustain damage preventing the door from being able to open. Drowning would have almost been a certainty; pilots are taught a water landing is a last resort in an emergency. He attempted to set the airplane down at the shoreline where the sand is firm. As such he still made contact with shallow water flipping the aircraft.
When an aircraft is underpowered or under no power your ability to control the aircraft is very very limited, gravity is not your friend. Tragic that someone sustained injury but my opinion is the pilot did everything by the book.

I see your point.
BUT, the street ( 2 lane ) was just another 100 feet to the East.
Robert
<><

[DEVOREFLYER]

That Piper PA-18 has a stall speed of 42.55 mph (37 knots) and the engine was not running. Looking at this video it appears that the road had trees, power lines and light poles not to mention parked vehicles and any traffic that might of been present. He was probably at or near stall speed and any turn would of bleed off his air speed and likely result in a stall/crash. Just my opinion that he made the best of a bad situation.

http://news.yahoo.com/banner-towing-...01959562.html#