BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Rail line seem to be popular landing strips for small aircraft in distress.
Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service reports it responded to the crash landing of a small plane on the CSX Transportation tracks near the 3300 block of Vanderbilt Road at 9:58 p.m. on Tuesday night. A trainer pilot was training a student when the plane’s engine suddenly shut off on approach to the runway at the Birmingham Airport. The pilot was able to divert and land on tracks in the CSX rail yard.
The two people on board the plane were uninjured. The plane, a Piper Warrior, had 40 gallons of fuel on board when it landed.
Planes made similar emergency landings in April on CN tracks in Flint, Mich., and CPKC tracks in Buffalo, Iowa.
With all the emergency plane landings lately, now the government will want to blame it on PSA (precision scheduled airplane). {sarcasm/joking}
I once landed a plane in a frozen corn field. Surprisingly smooth. Remember that up to the last 30 seconds or so you have lift. It’s refered to as a precautionary landing. Taking off the next day was no problem either.
Sometimes railroad tracks are the best or only option in an emergency, especially in urban areas. Streets, besides having vehicle traffic and pedestrians, often don’t have enough clearance with side obstructions for the wings, or overhead wires with the tail. When I used to work out of Midway Airport (MDW), our pilots said Clearing Yard or the nearby ROW’s were about the only place where there was room to have a chance putting something down.
Rows may become not available if electrification of RRs start happening. Back in about 1970s saw result of Lear jet snagging overhead power lines on Buford highway just NE of Atlanta. Worse still wire was at about a 60 degree angle to highway,
See what happens when you install PTC on airplanes?
Great job by the instructor and pilot trainee on landing her safely. The fact the plane is still on its wheels is a minor miracle. Somebody was looking out for them!
Glad the pilot and student pilot are OK and uninjured in this ‘unusual’ landing. yes, probably a rough landing on the ties and ballast though ……
Yes, interesting and weird year for GA plane landings on railroad tracks …..
“Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing ….”
A landing where you can immediately re-use the airplane afterwards is even better.
Had to have been a rough landing. Track ballast and small wheels don’t play well together. I give the pilot credit for bringing it down safely.
What a weird year for planes, trains and……..