Holy Shit! Literally!

[picklesuit]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518707,00.html

Why there are no photos, I will never know. Saved by the Porta-Shitter, this guy should have to buy a round for all every time he tells this story.

 

[DanMa1156]

"Yeah so there I was, when the engine quit, and I decided the porta-potties made a great landing spot. You wouldn't think so... but believe you me."

 

[Flugelman]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518707,00.html

Why there are no photos, I will never know. Saved by the Porta-Shitter, this guy should have to buy a round for all every time he tells this story.

Picture here.

 

[et1nuke]

"If he had made the runway, he would have landed a lot harder than he did by impacting with those Sani-Cans and the wood pile," Blair said.

I think even "landing hard" on a runway would be better than crashing into a batch of sanicans. There's just something about the word crash that makes me think its more serious...but hey what do I know I'm only a pilot. This guy Blair is a Sheriff, he obviously knows what he's talking about.

 

[Krafty1]

I think even "landing hard" on a runway would be better than crashing into a batch of sanicans. There's just something about the word crash that makes me think its more serious...but hey what do I know I'm only a pilot. This guy Blair is a Sheriff, he obviously knows what he's talking about.

I thought that was funny too, I would hope even an untrained eye would notice that landing upside down on sani-cans vs landing hard on a runway with a plane built to handle some hard landings are not even comparable.

Good thing there are pictures otherwise no one would ever believe this pilot's story. He owes the porta-shitter company a beer or two that he's able to walk away and tell his story.

 

[sundevil_av8r]

Pilot Clifford Howell of Lake Bay told investigators at about 150 feet in the air, his engine quit. He banked and tried to make it back to the runway, but came up short.

"So I lost my engine, turned around and tried to make the runway, and that's when the shit hit the ceiling!"

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

Thats right near my hometown, thats awesome.

 

[ZekeBathory]

First, Mumbles posts a story about a pilot getting a face-full of his own jettisoned munitions and now this? What's with the recent crap obsession?

 

[usmarinemike]

I think even "landing hard" on a runway would be better than crashing into a batch of sanicans. There's just something about the word crash that makes me think its more serious...but hey what do I know I'm only a pilot. This guy Blair is a Sheriff, he obviously knows what he's talking about.

Exactly what I as thinking. Doubt if the plane would have landed upside down on the runway even if he did buckle the gear and turned the prop into a boomerang. Instead it's probably totaled.

And witnesses said the plane looked like it dove. I know the plane is pretty beat up, but it looks like he might have been one of those types who takes off with 10* of flaps in a Cessna. Not a great setting to have when you're trying to extend your glide. Something to think about I guess. Glad he's okay.

 

[Barino]

Let's see - altimeter @ 150' - "tried" to turn around... Wonder what he was thinking... "Hey, I can be the first pilot in history to make it back to the airport w/o any power at 150'." OK, first - expeditiously execute a 180 degree turn, 2nd... Oh...

 

[exhelodrvr]

"So I lost my engine, turned around and tried to make the runway, and that's when the shit hit the ceiling!"

You can do better than that -

The prop sliced right through the port-a-potty, and the shit really hit the fan.

Shittiest landing I ever made, but I walked away from it!

 

[armada1651]

All of you saying you'd rather land hard on the runway than "crash" into portapotties...seriously? Power loss at 150' AGL and you'd try to make it back to the runway?

With a 3600' runway, I'd think there'd still be some usable pavement left by the point you're at 150', but I sure as hell wouldn't think about trying to make that 180.

 

[et1nuke]

No. Personally I would have looked for somewhere to land/skid straight ahead instead of doing exactly what you are NOT supposed to do. He merely got lucky that the crash didn't take his life. Turning back he was never in a position to make the runway and turning sharply close to the ground with no power is not exactly a good position to put yourself in. I just thought the quote was pretty funny.

 

[xj220]

Best case scenario would be to use a cross runway, but even then that's an extreme stretch. Glad to hear he survived it, many others aren't as fortunate. Certainly makes for a good story. Another one from the weird/crazy files: http://www.ladder54.com/Photosplane.htm

 

[dsimonds]

5 for "head" work