BA0284 From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2005, 299 posts, RR: 1 Posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 16116 times:
So..i'm on holiday and i'm driving on the I-5 between LA and San Francisco, suddenly this plane shoots over us and lands in this airfield beside the road on the I-5. (a small grass strip)
Now..it was a Cessna aircraft going about 100mph..it overtook us and we were doing no more than 80. We never caught it up and as it landed (about 6ft in the air), the nose shot up, the tail scrapped quite badly, then the nose shot down, totally bent the propeller and broke the whole of the front undercarriage and the just shuddered to a halt!!
So...was this plane going to fast, if it was landing at 100mph roughly?! and whats the name of that airfield? (if there is one!)
If it was going too fast, i cant see how this plane would have done this then?? (also..there was NO wind at all, i could tell as the trees weren't moving as we were going past!!)
Thanks for your help!!
BA0284
(which co-incidently is my flight i'm on tomorrow!)
PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 10 Reply 1, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 16023 times:
Where exactly was it on I-5? In the mountains north of Los Angeles? Or in the central valley?
And it wasn't a crop duster, was it?
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JerseyGuy From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 1119 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 15958 times:
I took a look for airports next to the I-5 on my MS Streets and Trips program and found a possibility
PositiveETCO2 From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 63 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 15958 times:
Sounds like Harris Ranch. The airfield is about half way between SF and LA, just east of I-5.
FiveMileFinal From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 232 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 15958 times:
Probably Harris Ranch (State Highway 198)...there's an airstrip not more than a few yards east of the northbound lanes.
PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 15882 times:
If it was Harris Ranch, I'm surprised you didn't smell it from miles away!! That's one of the largest cattle ranching areas left in the country - great restaurant, but that critical mass of cattle is tough on the olfactory senses!!
Pan Am:The World's Most Experienced Airline - P(oor) S(ailor's) A(irline): San Diego's Hometown Airline-Catch Our Smile!
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 9, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 15815 times:
Harris Ranch is a good candidate but it is not real far north of The Grapevine.
Patterson Airport actually seems to be closer to the freeway but it is a long ways north, almost to the turnoff to Livermore.
There is also another, don't know if it is a real airport or not but I think I've seen cropdusters use a strip just east of I-5 a quarter mile or so, south of West Panoche Road. It would be just about 15-16 miles southwest of the Mendota Airport and right alongside the northbound lanes.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
FutureUApilot From United States of America, joined May 2004, 1365 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 15743 times:
Ohhh... ouch. Prop strike = automatic engine overhaul. We had a simular thing like this happen at ATW only the plane had icing problems and landed nose first, bounced a few times, and finally came to a hault. It needed to be towed off the runway.
PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 10 Reply 11, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 15594 times:
Quote: Harris Ranch is a good candidate but it is not real far north of The Grapevine.
Actually, Harris Ranch sits at Interstate 5 and Highway 198, almost directly due west of Visalia. From Harris Ranch to the junction with with Hwy. 99 is 103 miles.
FiveMileFinal From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 232 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 15536 times:
Quoting PanAm747 (Reply 7): If it was Harris Ranch, I'm surprised you didn't smell it from miles away!! That's one of the largest cattle ranching areas left in the country - great restaurant, but that critical mass of cattle is tough on the olfactory senses!!
Hehehe, yep, that's why you carry a lot of speed through that section of I-5 and keep an eye on your Valentine One
You goin'? We fly you dere! You been? We done already flew up in dere!
TPASXM787 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 1730 posts, RR: 22 Reply 13, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 15383 times:
Yeah, 100 mph is a bit fast for landing a small plane like that. Considering a 737 lands at (roughly) 138-143 kn, a single prop would be a bit quick at that speed.
MrFord From Canada, joined Jan 2001, 140 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 15237 times:
Normally, you'll aim for 65mph for a Flaps 40 landing in a 172. 80mph would be for a Flaps 10 landing, and 100mph would be the cruise speed, normally not someting you want at 100' AGL with a negative V/S reading
"For radar identification throw your jumpseat rider out the window."
BigJimFX From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 321 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 14861 times:
Quoting MrFord (Reply 14): Normally, you'll aim for 65mph for a Flaps 40 landing in a 172. 80mph would be for a Flaps 10 landing, and 100mph would be the cruise speed
Depending on the model... 65Kts is the normal approach speed with flaps 30. with flaps 10 you can approach at up to 110Kts. The pilot was probably indicating between 85-95Kts. IMHO the pilot was high on his approach which would cause him to dip the nose to get lower. The Vfe speed for full flaps is 85Kts which is about 98 (statute) MPH. This is a problem some private pilots face. Starting a pattern high and trying to compensate on final. Some just don't trust in the fact that cessnas GLIDE! Especially the 172. This is a very unfortunate accident! Hope no one was hurt!
Jcf5002 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 288 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 14645 times:
Quoting BigJimFX (Reply 15): This is a problem some private pilots face. Starting a pattern high and trying to compensate on final.
I guess that pilot missed the lesson on forward slips...
Quoting BigJimFX (Reply 15): Some just don't trust in the fact that cessnas GLIDE! Especially the 172.
Hehe. You're preaching to the choir here... Sheeeeet, I'm one of those nutcases who flies gliders and feels that if it has wings, it can glide! Speaking of which, I HAVE thermaled in a C-152 Aerobat once... that was fun, but proves that you can do anything you want in your aircraft as long as you have confidence in your machinery.
Its always a sunny day above the clouds || CSEL, CMEL, CFI, CFII
JBirdAV8r From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 4459 posts, RR: 22 Reply 17, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 14130 times:
That's strange. It's hard to tell what caused it from your description.
Quoting BigJimFX (Reply 15): IMHO the pilot was high on his approach which would cause him to dip the nose to get lower.
BA0284 From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2005, 299 posts, RR: 1 Reply 18, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 14130 times:
Yeah it looked like no-one was hurt...just one very shook up pilot!!! It certainly wasn't going 65 knots at all, the way it just swooped over us and then tail scraped, nose shot up and down was amazing. I couldn't believe what i was seeing!
TinkerBelle From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 14012 times:
I used to drive on I-5 btwn LA and Sacramento on a weekly basis when I was attendin a flight school in LA. It sure sounds like Harris Ranch where a lot of Highway patrol Cessna's land. Watch your speed around that area by the way, I've gotten way too many tickets around that area. I think there's a hwy 33 crossing I-5 right around there, not 198.
JetBlueAtJFK From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 1687 posts, RR: 4 Reply 20, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 13986 times:
Wow that must have been a sight. I am sure other drivers all were stunned when they saw that too. Lucky no accidents occured on the highway from that accident.
777ER From New Zealand, joined Dec 2003, 11319 posts, RR: 17 Reply 21, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 13943 times:
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Quoting TinkerBelle (Reply 19): No way of missing the damn smell around there
No wonder you got so many tickets from that area..........trying to get away from the smell ASAP. Were the tickets from the Cessna after it landed behind you or from a highway patrol vehicle?
ANX4fishing From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 168 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13362 times:
Me thinks the pilot was distracted holding his nose due to the cow stench.
TinkerBelle From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13362 times:
Quoting 777ER (Reply 21): No wonder you got so many tickets from that area..........trying to get away from the smell ASAP. Were the tickets from the Cessna after it landed behind you Wink or from a highway patrol vehicle?
I know huuh! Actually, highway patrol use aome kind of a high wing plane to look for speeders while circling at 2000 feet over the highway. They spot you about 3 miles away and by the time you realize it, you have some cop behind you.
PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 10 Reply 24, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13345 times:
Quote: I think there's a hwy 33 crossing I-5 right around there, not 198.
Hwy 33 runs from Ojai through the mountains of Southern California, hooking up at Hwy 166 for the descent of the dizzying Grocer's Grade into Maricopa, separating and continuing north through Taft, then paralleling I-5, stopping at Hwy 198. To continue, 33 temporarily joins up with Hwy 269 in Avenal, then switching to I-5 for 30 miles before branching off to the north, and finally ending at Hwy 152 in Santa Rita park east of Los Banos.
According to the website, Harris Ranch claims to be at I-5 and Hwy 198. Definitely worth a visit to the restaurant!!
Pan Am:The World's Most Experienced Airline - P(oor) S(ailor's) A(irline): San Diego's Hometown Airline-Catch Our Smile!
25 NZ107: Phew! Lucky we didn't get caught.. LOL! They would have wanted to catch the beamer instead of us, probabaly doing about 130/140mph but the group of c
26 Bablackpilot: Having flown into this airport many, many times it never ceases to amaze me how many pilots just don't use proper technique. I can even go as far as t
27 777ER: I'm glad we don't have police highway patrol aeroplanes catching speeders in new zealand
28 YLWbased: or in Canada. if they hv those here, i'm screwed.
29 777ER: With my car and some work cars its very easy to not notice that I'm over the speed limit (turbo XR6s and XR8s especially)
30 TinkerBelle: You should be. There's almost no way to avoid those guys when they're using a plane to look for speeders. You're definately right. I think 33 Northa
31 BAtriple7: Right, 100mph is well over the landing speed for a 172. Wow! Always near a suitable field I gather? 3 is quite a number, but correct me if I'm wrong..
32 AussieItaliano: Ain't that the truth! I think that the CHP must find some dimented humour in making us sit there breathing in the cow smell while they take their swe
33 EridanMan: IF the CHP birds down there are anything like the ones they fly out of OAK, they're impressive birds... (Late Model Skylanes with heavily modified int
34 Wingscrubber: Guys, 80 knots isn't the same as 80mph, 80 knots = 92 mph, 60 knots = 69mph, so if the guy says it was going about 100mph, it couldn't have been far o
35 Lh463: I'm gonna go with Wingscubber and also say that it was a flapless landing. When your approaching at higher speeds such as in this case the control su
36 T210Dave: The last time I landed at Harris Ranch it was paved so if BA0284 is sure it was a grass field it wasn't Harris Ranch. I've also seen novice pilots let
37 SlamClick: All they have to do is time your car between the airplane-milemarkers along the shoulder. That distance in a certain time is a ticket. Period. Paragr
38 PanAm747: Ever since the CHP got their first Mustang 5.0's (and started getting out of those horrific Dodge Diplomats!!), speeding on California's interstates
39 L1329II: Aahhh the memories! I would give anything to be able to make the I-5 orr the 99 Grapevine drive again! I miss California! I remeber my first encounter
40 BA0284: Well there could have been a paved runway there but this plane landed on a piece of grass..for sure. Didn't see any highway patrol planes...just plen
41 YVRtoYYZ: Clearly you haven't driven much in Canada if you stand behind what you state. Highways that come to mind immediately are highway 99 in Vancouver, BC
42 Type-rated: From the description it sounds like he came in too fast and then flared too high and stalled out. Fortunately, it sounds like he didn't gain too much
43 EridanMan: Eh... On a straight, flat road, my car could get away from a C172 fairly easily*... Not to mention anything the CHP has on the ground. Its just his f
44 FiveMileFinal: I've found that most of the time on I-5, as long as you're not doing anything inordinately stupid (like swerving back and forth between lanes and what
45 EridanMan: Yeah, that's VASCAR... I can assure you that the aircraft is also equipped with a for/rear facing radar unit (like on patrol cars) _and_ it appeared
46 FATFlyer: Unless you know the spots where the CHP likes to work on 99. Just came back from Southern California on 99 and did, oh shall I say, more than a littl
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