Student pilot gets losts, lands at USAF base...

[AggieDave 6]

The dumbass of the day award definately goes to this guy.


http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/weird/story/725535p-5304184c.html

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x - close Recent Stories By The Associated Press




Lost helicopter pilot lands in trouble
The Associated Press
Published 8:43 a.m. PST Sunday, January 19, 2003
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AP) - An apparently lost student pilot trying to reach a civilian airport about 10 miles away landed his helicopter at Andrews Air Force Base on Saturday, authorities said.
A statement from the 89th Airlift Wing, the outfight that manages the presidential fleet, said the unauthorized landing occurred at about 5 p.m. and was met immediately by security personnel.

Initial indications are that the pilot, who carried a Swiss passport and other identification, was lost and was attempting to land at Indian Head Airport, seven to 10 miles from Andrews, the statement said.

However, the FBI and Air Force Office of Special Investigations were called in to investigate.

The statement said the pilot and his aircraft remained at Andrews several hours after the incident. There was no indication what would happen to the pilot or his aircraft, or when.

There have been numerous incidents of pilots straying into restricted airspace around Washington and the presidential compound at Camp David, Md.

Typically, they are released after thorough questioning and their cases referred to the Federal Aviation Administration for possible administrative action for not following proper flight procedures.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[rgoper 0]

i'm really surprised they didn't just simply shoot him out of the sky. must have been his lucky day. there, sorry!

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[billvon 2,400]

>i'm really surprised they didn't just simply shoot him out of the sky.
>must have been his lucky day.

They simply don't do that without good reason. There has been much talk of how much safer the skies are after 9/11, but anyone with a pilot's license and any technical aptitude could still load up a C208 with two tons of explosives and fly it into the sears tower.

[rgoper 0]

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There has been much talk of how much safer the skies are after 9/11

says who? on this side of the pond maybe, on the other side, security is LAME, to the point it concerns me. nobody gets searched, no 20 questions, no nothing. over here is another issue. by the way, i was just kidding about shooting the helicopter down!

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[CanuckInUSA 0]

As PIC, this guy was clearly at fault (I take it he was flying VFR, but what Navaids was he using). But shoot him down? Hmmm ... by the way this was written before you said you were kidding about shooting him down.

When I fly in unfamiliar territory it's extremely important to carry the appropriate charts and pay attention to one's pilotage skills. But I also like using my portable aviation moving map GPS unit. In comes in real handy to alert oneself towards approaching airspaces as well as airport alternatives.

If ya'll are pilots, then you know where I'm coming from. But if you're just people who jump out of airplanes, then I doubt very much you pay attention to where the airplanes you fly in, fly. Your home area can be confusing in different weather conditions let alone an area you're not familiar with.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Sebazz1 2]

An accident is an accident is an accident. After they realized there was no ill will towards the US, the USAF, or anybody for that matter, they should have let the dude back into his chopper an escorted him to the right airport. Everybody goes home happy. And I would imagine that the guy will not get lost again. Shit, when looking for an alternate landing area or an "out" pick the biggest friggen clearing you can find. An Air Force base sounds like a good start...

[DJL 232]

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But if you're just people who jump out of airplanes,

Oh shut up and turn on the green light.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[riddler 0]

Geez Bill - statements like this, and you wonder why the helicopters are hovering outside your window

Don't make me call them back

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[Gawain 0]

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But if you're just people who jump out of airplanes, then I doubt very much you pay attention to where the airplanes you fly in, fly. Your home area can be confusing in different weather conditions let alone an area you're not familiar with.

Interestingly this does bring up an important issue about spotting too. While I'm just a person that jumps from the plane, when I'm first out, I take spotting very seriously. Elsinore and Perris have pretty busy skies, DZ planes not withstanding. March AFB is near by, as well as approach for LAX. Then add plenty of general aviation which doesn't always follow I-15. Throw in occaisional para-gliders or ultra-lights off the Ortega mountains or elsewhere and you really need to pay attention. I'm sure many of us can relate to a long or short spot resulting in us landing where we wouldn't like to.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[kallend 1,623]

If he was 100% competent, he wouldn't be a STUDENT pilot.

Who remembers Mathias Rust?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[relyon 0]

Interesting thread. A pilot gets lost, lands at an airport (albeit a USAF base), and gets lamblasted for being a moron. From the replies here, it sounds like folks are saying "What an idot. There's no way I would get lost." Bull.

Perhaps it would have been better if he'd just flown until the tanks were dry, auto'd into some residential neighborhood, and maybe taken out a few bystanders in the process. Then we could all take pot shots wondering why he hadn't landed at Andrews...

Bob (commercial helicopter, private airplane)

[CanuckInUSA 0]

He might have been a student helicopter pilot, but it's only under very rare extreme cases that he would have been nothing more than a student pilot (on a solo flight). The vast majority of student helicopter pilots already hold some sort of fixed wing pilot certificate.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I never said he was a moron. I've just been commenting that he was at fault for landing where he shouldn't have landed. He certainly lost his pilotage awareness (not all that hard to do) but one has to think that he failed to use his radios to the fullest (not to mention his navaids).

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[relyon 0]

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The vast majority of student helicopter pilots already hold some sort of fixed wing pilot certificate.

This has not been my experience at all. The majority of helicopter pilots I know had little or no fixed wing experience prior to their helicopter ratings. Most helicopter instructors are leery of students that have any fixed wing time and would prefer complete whuffos to rated fixed wing pilots.

Bob

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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This has not been my experience at all. The majority of helicopter pilots I know had little or no fixed wing experience prior to their helicopter ratings. Most helicopter instructors are leery of students that have any fixed wing time and would prefer complete whuffos to rated fixed wing pilots.

Bob

I may have made an assumption about helicopter student pilots that I shouldn't have done. But regardless, this fellow (and his instructor who endorsed him for solo flight) are in the wrong. But as you said, it's better to land at a military airport than to put himself and others in danger. I just wonder when he realized he wasn't where he was supposed to be. Like when the MPs put an M-16 in his face?

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[n2skdvn 0]

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Like when the MPs put an M-16 in his face?

(quicky looks at map) "I knew i should of made that left turn at Albuquerque"

if my calculations are correct SLINKY + ESCULATOR = EVERLASTING FUN
my site

[diverdriver 5]

And he may not have realized it was the wrong airport until he landed and shut down. (with M-16s pointed at him). There was an MD-80 crew that was approaching Hayden, CO. For some reason I don't remember, they landed at Craig Airport. Much shorter runway. Maybe 10-15 miles short of the destination airport. Oooops. They didn't follow the Instrument Approach because they were in Visual Meterological Conditions (VMC). They saw a runway and just landed. Got stuck and couldn't turn around.

Even the "pros" can do it.

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

[AggieDave 6]

Chris,

I'll still point and laugh, though. I'll laugh even harder when a pro does it.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[pilotdave 0]

Landing at Andrews is no minor accident. He busted the TFR around DC to get there. There's no excuse for that. If he didn't know andrews was the wrong airport he's got major problems. Andrews is GIGANTIC. You might mix it up with Dulles which is a few miles away, but you'd never mix it up with any of the nearby GA airports. I fly out of an airport a few miles north of the TFR. I've been there after a pilot busted the TFR then seemed to have landed at that airport. About 3 or 4 police cars were there by the time I left with more on the way (they couldn't find the plane or the pilot). They do NOT mess around when someone busts the TFR. I think landing at andrews is a pretty minor part of this. Landing at Hyde Field, just a few miles to the south, should have gotten the same response since it's inside the TFR too.

Dave

[riggerrob 558]

He he!
This reminds me of the private pilot who got lost while practicing for his night endorsement. He flight planned: Pitt Meadows, Victoria, Abbotsford and return to Pitt Meadows.
The poor fellow took off from Pitt Meadows and flew to Victoria. Departing Victoria, ATC gave him several vectors which confused him. He landed at Bellingham, Washington, USA after the tower closed and was surprised when they insisted on calling out a US Customs officer.
On his way home he had to clear Canada Customs at Boundary Bay. He finally returned to Pitt Meadows 3 hours late and $200 poorer for customs fees.
Why he did not notice Puget Sound off the end of Bellingham's runway is a mystery to all of us.
In comparison: Abbotsford is well inland and surrounded by farms on three sides.

We should be careful about criticising this poor fellow too harshly. We all make mistakes in the pilot's seat. The trick is keeping those mistakes small.
Oh, and next month I have to repeat his flight to Victoria, Abbotsford, etc.

My final point is that if I am having a bad day in the pilot's seat and I see a large military runway under me, I am landing on it and the legalities be damned!

[trilete312 0]

The interesting part of this is a what if??
What if they shot him down for flying over restricted airspace. 1. If it was an innocent student, people are going to complain that the military acted with too much aggression and killed an innocent but confused student pilot. 2. If it happened to be a copter loaded with explosives the public is going to be thrilled that a potential catastrophe has been averted.
3. Would he have been shot down if Airforce 1 was on the ground preparing for departure?

How much of our rights are we willing to give up to be safe?

Sorry to throw a kink in the discussion, Pres Bush is in town today and traffic sucks because of all the extra security and the blocked roads and overpasses.

-----------
Ready, Set, Gooooooo

[happythoughts 0]

I live in Tampa and go to Key West every once in a while with friends in their Cessnas. There is a Navy runway and the actual Key West airport. You would be amazed at the number of people who get them confused.