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kfackler(at)ameritech.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:37 am Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

Russ Kinne wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  >FWIW I've landed on  lots of off-airport sites, never had a problem,

>usually invited in for coffee, a meal, or even overnite.

Not to diminish from the sorrow we're all feeling over Az Dave, but I think

Russ has broached a wonderful topic, to wit, things experienced after an

off-airport landing. I'd like to suggest that this threat NOT be about what

happened to the airplane, i.e., you damaged the landing gear or whatever,

but be about the EXPERIENCES you had, good or bad.

In that vein, I'll start with this one:

This was quite a few years ago, while flying from an ultralights-only field

in Red Oak, Tx. I was in the air and noticed that a bungee cord used to hold

one of the tail-bracing wires safely out of the prop arc had come undone.

Now, this was certainly no emergency but I felt more comfortable making a

precautionary landing and reattaching it. So I picked a likely looking field

that appeared to have been recently mowed or harvested and swooshed in.

After landing, I taxied to the end of the field from which I expected to

take off, turned into the wind and killed the engine. As I was climbing out,

I noticed a pickup truck nosing into the field. Now in my experience this

isn't an unusual occurence. It seems that an ultralight landing attracts

onlookers in vehicles quite as much as a bloody, multiple car pileup. So

anyway, I tossed the chap a casual wave and went about the business of

reattaching the offending bungee cord.

When I stood up and turned around I found myself looking down the barrel of

a gun. Not being an expert on such matters, I can't tell you what type of

gun it was, except that it was some kind of rifle and the bore looked like

big enough at that moment that I thought I could fly through it!

"Uh, what's wrong?" says I. Brilliant, just brilliant.

It turns out (surprised?) that he was the owner of the field and he was

righteously ticked off! Apparently some time in the not too distant past a

glider club had been making free with his field, landing there and then

driving vehicles and trailers all over his hay to retrieve them. He had told

them in no uncertain terms to clear out and not come back.

Since his home was just across the highway from this field, it was

unavoidable that he'd seen me land. And, not illogically, he assumed I was

part of the glider club. After some very tense moments, I managed to

convince him that I wasn't a member of that club and had only chosen his

field for a semi-emergency and that if he'd only not shoot me I'd be on my

way without any undue harm to his crop. After all, this was a real

ultralight (not a Kolb back then, alas) and it didn't weigh much, hardly

leaving even any wheel impressions on the stubble.

I eventually soothed his ruffled feathers, then soothed my own nerves enough

to get airborne and safely home. Who'd have thought you could come so close

to getting killed in an ultralight while it was on the ground?!

Next story?

-Ken Fackler

Kolb Mark II / A722KWF

Rochester MI

R. Hankins

Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 185
Location: Grants Pass, Oregon

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:03 am Post subject: Re: Stories of off-airport landings

Last summer I landed in an alfalfa field about 7 miles southeast of Montegue, CA due to high bladder pressure.  I took care of the pressure problem and was stretching my legs a little when I saw a vehicle approaching.  A weathered older gentleman in a well used brown Ford F-250 pulled up next to me in a swirl of dust.  I walked over, shook hands and explained the high pressure situation.  He just chuckled and told me he thought I might need some help, so he drove out to see.  We talked for a while, and by the time I left his son and a hired hand had shown up.  That made three beat up pickup trucks in the field waiting to watch me take off. 

 I've never run into anyone in a bad mood while landing out.  I'll keep my fingers crossed.

_________________
Roger in Oregon
1992 KXP 503 - N1782C

Bill Vincent

Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 84

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 11:52 am Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

Hi Gang

 A few winters back while landing on a frozen lake  in our local area to talk to some ice fishermen; which in the past has always  been a fun experience because they are excited to see a plane land and  are full of questions about flying in the winter; however this time a ice  fisherman walked up to me and was very unhappy.

 He stated it was very dangerous for me to be  landing around other people, I informed him (nicely) that my plane only  weighed 270 pounds and that I was only landing at 40 miles an hour, and that the  snowmobile that just passed us was going 100 miles an hour and how much did the  snowmobile weigh??

 He looked at me, went into his ice shack and  slammed the door shut,,,,never had another bad experience like this one  again.

 Bill Vincent

 Firestar II

 Upper Peninsula of Michigan

  

 DO NOT ARCHIVE

    [quote][b]

_________________
Bill Vincent
Firestar II
Upper Peninsula of Michigan

a58r(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:53 pm Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

(way) Out landings...Not far from here there is a great 5000' hard  

rnwy on private property...billionaire owner. Has RESTRICTED painted  

lengthwise on rnwy. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE is to use it, except The Large  

Cheese. Not too far away there are a couple of sailplane fields, and  

some have force-landed there, much to their sorrow. However they do  

come apart easily. Some years back, a student in a 150 , lost, abt  

outa gas, flopped down. Met with armed guards. Plane was dismantled,  

rather than just flown out.

regards,

Bob N.    FireFly 070 Old Kolb

http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/ronoy/



do not archive

blackbird

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 51

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:00 pm Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

Good grief Bob,

Where is that runway at so we can all avoid it like the plague it is?



WT

---

_________________
Wish I lived in the American REPUBLIC!!!

Ed in JXN

Joined: 24 Mar 2006
Posts: 122

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:09 pm Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

Hi Bob,



        Yeah, where izzit?  Never know when one might get "carb ice".



Ed in JXN

MkII/503

Do not archive.

---

a58r(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

About halfway  between KOKV Winchester VA and KIAD Dullass VA  the  

Mellon estate.

regards,

Bob N.    FireFly 070 Old Kolb

http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/ronoy/



do not archive

WillUribe(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:41 pm Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

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John Williamson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 146
Location: Arlington, TX

Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: Stories of off-airport landings

It's only illegal if you get caught!

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_________________
John Williamson
Arlington, TX

Kolbra, 912ULS, 1640 hours
http://home.tx.rr.com/kolbrapilot

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject: Re: Stories of off-airport landings

Dire need for pit stop.  Nearest airport 30 miles north of course.  Could not make it to the next airport on course.  Decided to land in a dry creek bed in the desert on the California/Nevada border east of LA.  Good landing, but dry creek bed was very deep sand.  As a precaution, dug out in front of each main tire to help get the aircraft moving initially.  Got out ok.  Unique experience a long way from anywhere.

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_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

flykolb(at)pa.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 6:01 pm Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

In that vein, I'll continue with this one:



It was the first or second year TOK showed its TS at SNF.  I took Howard

Levy, who used to write for Popular Mechanics but was then writing for

various aviation magazines, on a ride.  We had an engine out, the TS had a

447 (yes the first TS was 447 powered) and that engine was never quite

right.  That was the first of several seizures.  It was during the flying

session and I landed in the woods - don't remember if was in or outside the

pattern, but it was close by.  I landed on a narrow twisting dirt lane thru

the woods, gracefully following the twists and turns of the path until touch

down.  Landed safely - no damage - and I was a bit apprehensive because I

was not ahmm, er ...  properly credentialed to make such a flight with

passenger.  So I was not anxious to hang around to see who might show up.  I

pulled the starter cord and the 477 popped back to life as if nothing had

happened.  I explained to Howard that I hated to leave him stranded, but I

thought I might get him out quicker if I went for help and, of course, I'd

be better off solo as I had to fly of the same twisty path I had landed on.

I got no argument from him! I got out of there fast and returned to paradise

city and went to get Howard in another vehicle for which I was properly

credentialed.



Howard was very gracious and never mentioned the incident in the article he

wrote on the TS.  He could have ... but didn't.



Thanks Howard,



Dennis

planecrazydld(at)yahoo.co
Guest

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:48 am Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

good morning Dennis;

  Of all the posters on the list, I look forward to yours most due to your involvement in teh project throughout.

  Please update the date on your PC though. It is a hassle to have to page back and back and back to find yoru postings since they are dated in 2002!

  Thanks!



Dennis Souder <flykolb(at)pa.net> wrote:

  [quote]--> Kolb-List message posted by: "Dennis Souder" 



In that vein, I'll continue with this one:



It was the first or second year TOK showed its TS at SNF. I took Howard

Levy, who used to write for Popular Mechanics but was then writing for

various aviation magazines, on a ride. We had an engine out, the TS had a

447 (yes the first TS was 447 powered) and that engine was never quite

right. That was the first of several seizures. It  was during the flying

session and I landed in the woods - don't remember if was in or outside the

pattern, but it was close by. I landed on a narrow twisting dirt lane thru

the woods, gracefully following the twists and turns of the path until touch

down. Landed safely - no damage - and I was a bit apprehensive because I

was not ahmm, er ... properly credentialed to make such a flight with

passenger. So I was not anxious to hang around to see who might show up. I

pulled the starter cord and the 477 popped back to life as if nothing had

happened. I explained to Howard that I hated to leave him stranded, but I

thought I might get him out quicker if I went for help and, of course, I'd

be better off solo as I had to fly of the same twisty path I had landed on.

I got no argument from him! I got out of there fast and returned to paradise

city and went to get Howard in another vehicle for which I was properly

credentialed.



Howard was  Mortgage rates as low as 4.625% - $150,000 loan for $579 a month. Intro-*Terms [quote][b]

Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:12 am Post subject: Re: Stories of off-airport landings

Sometime in the summer of 1967, with my private ticket less than a year old and my courage and inexperience far out weighing common sense, I flew an old straight tailed C-150 from Lithonia, GA up to a place in North GA I'd heard other pilots talk about. The place called Turkey Mountain was allegedly a grass airport. After much searching I finally found it and landed. The roll out was extremely short as the "runway" was a bit overgrown, i.e., weeds just above knee-high. Obviously it was abandoned. This particular old airport was atop a mountain (Turkey, I presume) and was a one-way runway with a cemetary and mature forest at one end of the relatively short strip and the edge of the mountain at the other end. I taxied (with high power and the prop acting somewhat as a week-whacker) to the dead (cemetary) end and turned around. I had no idea whether I was going to get airborne or not but I had to try. No cell phones back then and NOTHING within sight down the mountain. Not sure how people used to get to the place because I didn't even see a dirt road up to it. At any rate, I gave the take-off my best efforts and when I got to the cliff edge end of the runway I was very close to flying speed with one notch of flaps and got airborne only after the runway passed behind me and I descended into the air below.



I am grateful to be able to tell that story. It could have ended badly and I never would have discovered the joys of Kolb flying or flying with safety being foremost in my mind. 



do not archive

_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous

pj.ladd(at)btinternet.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:30 am Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

runway passed behind me and I descended into the air below.>>



Hi Thom,

you are in good company. Sikorsky rescued Mussolini from a mountain top in 

the same way. They loaded up a Fieseler Storch with Mussolini,  Sikorsky, 

pilot.. plus I think 4 others and just drove it over the edge. Takes guts



Cheers



Pat



do not archive

Dennis.Kirby(at)kirtland.
Guest

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:48 am Post subject: Stories of Off-Airport Landings

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED 

Here's mine:



Before I knew about Kolbs, I owned a 1953 Piper TriPacer in partnership

with another fellow.



In 1994, I was flying it north of my home field, about 5 miles away,

when one magneto crapped out.  With its short wing, you could not keep a

TriPacer in level flight with less than 70 percent power, so I ended up

landing in a freshly-mowed alfalfa field.  Perfect landing, no damage.

Within minutes, a pickup truck rumbled up the dirt road and the owner

asked if I needed any help.  I thanked him for his offer, and asked only

for a ride to his farmhouse, that I might use a phone to arrange for an

alternate ride home.  The farmer was fine with leaving the plane parked

in his field for as long as I needed, and he gathered rope and stakes

for me to tie it down properly. (I learned from this incident that the

rural Mexican farmers around here are the friendliest, most gracious

salt-o-the earth folks you could meet.) 



In this fenced-in alfalfa field were four horses.  Now I've heard

stories of cows liking to chew on fabric airplanes, but horses (being

*this* much smarter than their bovine counterparts) do not.  So I tied

down the TriPacer in the field, got a ride home, and planned to come out

the following weekend with some friends to remove the wings and tow it

the 5 miles back to the airport.



[Fast-forward one week.]  Airplane is back at the airport, the wings

back on, and I'm giving it a preflight inspection.  It was then I

noticed a huge dent in the bottom of one wing.  One of the aluminum ribs

was crushed upward, as if hit hard from underneath.  We finally

concluded that a curious horse was probably investigating this strange,

new thing in his field, and was under the wing when something must've

startled him.  His enormous equine head, jerking up, is what apparently

hit the wing bottom, doing an amazing amount of damage.  Lesson learned:

Keep your stranded airplanes away from large creatures!



Dennis Kirby

Rural New Mexico

do not archive

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED

Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:50 am Post subject: Re: Stories of off-airport landings

Pat,



Have you notices that "guts" tend to dissipate with age? I think it has an inverse mathematical coorelation with wisdom.



do not archive

_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:37 am Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

Sikorsky rescued Mussolini from a mountain top in

| the same way. They loaded up a Fieseler Storch with Mussolini, 

Sikorsky,

| pilot.. plus I think 4 others and just drove it over the edge. Takes 

guts

|

| Pat

Patrick:



When you mentioned Sikorsky, it sparked my interest in your story 

because of my past experience with helicopters.  However, Sikorsky was 

not involved, but a gentleman by the name of Skorzeny.  Gerlach was 

the pilot who rescued Mussolini.  Skorzeny insisted on accompanying 

Mussolini to get points with Hitler.  Gerlach did not think the Storch 

would fly with Mussolini, much less when Skorzeny piled on too.



For the rest of the story:



http://www.3squadron.org.au/sasso.htm



john h

mkIII



DO NOT ARCHIVE

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

possums(at)bellsouth.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:12 am Post subject: Stories of Off-Airport Landings

 	  Quote: 	
		    We finally

concluded that a curious horse was probably investigating this strange,

new thing in his field, and was under the wing when something must've

startled him.  His enormous equine head, jerking up, is what apparently

hit the wing bottom, doing an amazing amount of damage.  Lesson learned:

Keep your stranded airplanes away from large creatures!



Dennis Kirby


	


I've been there before - actually horses like to "rub" up against things

like fences and airplanes. I had to round up several and put them in the

barn (after the owner explained this habit of theirs to me) in

order to leave my plane in his field until the next day.

jim

Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 107
Location: N. Idaho

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 10:09 am Post subject: Stories of Off-Airport Landings

The horse was probably scratching himself against your wing, resulting in

the dent.



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <Dennis.Kirby(at)kirtland.af.mil>



 Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED

 Here's mine:



 Before I knew about Kolbs, I owned a 1953 Piper TriPacer in partnership

 with another fellow.



 In 1994, I was flying it north of my home field, about 5 miles away,

 when one magneto crapped out.  With its short wing, you could not keep a

 TriPacer in level flight with less than 70 percent power, so I ended up

 landing in a freshly-mowed alfalfa field.  Perfect landing, no damage.

 Within minutes, a pickup truck rumbled up the dirt road and the owner

 asked if I needed any help.  I thanked him for his offer, and asked only

 for a ride to his farmhouse, that I might use a phone to arrange for an

 alternate ride home.  The farmer was fine with leaving the plane parked

 in his field for as long as I needed, and he gathered rope and stakes

 for me to tie it down properly. (I learned from this incident that the

 rural Mexican farmers around here are the friendliest, most gracious

 salt-o-the earth folks you could meet.)



 In this fenced-in alfalfa field were four horses.  Now I've heard

 stories of cows liking to chew on fabric airplanes, but horses (being

 *this* much smarter than their bovine counterparts) do not.  So I tied

 down the TriPacer in the field, got a ride home, and planned to come out

 the following weekend with some friends to remove the wings and tow it

 the 5 miles back to the airport.



 [Fast-forward one week.]  Airplane is back at the airport, the wings

 back on, and I'm giving it a preflight inspection.  It was then I

 noticed a huge dent in the bottom of one wing.  One of the aluminum ribs

 was crushed upward, as if hit hard from underneath.  We finally

 concluded that a curious horse was probably investigating this strange,

 new thing in his field, and was under the wing when something must've

 startled him.  His enormous equine head, jerking up, is what apparently

 hit the wing bottom, doing an amazing amount of damage.  Lesson learned:

 Keep your stranded airplanes away from large creatures!



 Dennis Kirby

 Rural New Mexico

 do not archive

 Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED

_________________
Jim
N. Idaho

ulflyer(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 10:56 am Post subject: Stories of off-airport landings

A field I used to fly out of near Detroit there was a guy that 

restored Fieseler Storch planes.  Quite a bird if I must say.  They 

had a fund raiser for the airport and were selling rides in a Sterman 

or a Storch.  I took a ride in Sterman and have been crying over it 

since. :'(  I could have easily gotten a ride in a Sterman many times 

over - but a Storch. dumb dumb dumb .... The other dumb thing was in 

1974 when I hesitated on a chance to buy a fresh rebuilt flying PT-19 

for $3500, and then some stranger from PA came in and offered the 

widow $1500 and she sold it while the flight school had two other 

checks in hand for $3K.  I would have bought it for sure at that 

price. 

jerryb



At 09:30 AM 11/22/2006, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  

runway passed behind me and I descended into the air below.>>



Hi Thom,

you are in good company. Sikorsky rescued Mussolini from a mountain 

top in the same way. They loaded up a Fieseler Storch with 

Mussolini,  Sikorsky, pilot.. plus I think 4 others and just drove 

it over the edge. Takes guts



Cheers



Pat



do not archive

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