Jabiru 2200 Engine Failure - Forced Landing on the Beach

[duarte07]

A partial Jabiru 2200 engine failure forced me to land my Alpi Pioneer 200 CS-UPK on a beach in Portugal ... without a scratch ...
No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve adjustment screw jumped out during flight...
More details, pictures, video and portuguese authorities (GPIAA) official report in my blog:

Forced Landing - Airplane Rescue

and

Valve Adjuster

PS: Use google-translator bar on the right side o the page to obtain english text version ...

 

[cotejy]

Nice job duarte.

Pilot practice engine failures all the time but until it's for real, we don't know how we will react. Now you know. I'm jealous. euh, maybe not...

[Mike]

Awesome FLying! 

no scratch and everybody walked away, so a perfect landing!

I was always wondering how an airplan would handle in the sand since I fly a lot on the California coast. I always figured the nose gear might sink in and the plane will do a flip . . . but I guess I was wrong.

Thanks for posting this!

[Artoo]

I imagine it'd be like landing in a plowed field with the rows.  Nice piloting sir!

[Lt.Fubar]

Am I the only one, that looks on that picture and have only one question in his mind: What next ? I mean, how do you get it off the sandbox ? 

[tundra_flier]

Nice job!     I'll second Fubar's question though.  Can you repair and fly it out, or is it trailer time?

Mike, beach landings are still pretty common in Alaska.  there's even one as part of the Valdez fly-in's poker run (next week).  I hear it was done by a Cirrius a couple years ago, so not just for bush planes.  The trick is to land at low tide and down on the wet sand I'm told.  Haven't tried it myself...yet   

[duarte07]

It was tractor, lorry and truck time, Lt.Fubar and tundra flyer .... 2 days work ... First towed by a tractor during 3 kms slow motion roll, then loaded on a lorry to bring it slaloming between pine trees to a safe place in the forest to spend the night. The next day the wings were disassembled and the plane was loaded on a truck to bring it back to the airfield, some 200 kms away from the landing spot. Watch the pictures and video clicking the following link:

Tractor, Lorry and Truck Time

The landing itself was perhaps the softest of my life !!! The proof is the perfect straight lines left by the tyres in the sand ...

[Oddball]

British Airways does a beach landing on the Isle of Barra as part of the regular service there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STqmbc8k9rU


But good landing Chief 

[Ragwing]

I was always wondering how an airplan would handle in the sand since I fly a lot on the California coast. I always figured the nose gear might sink in and the plane will do a flip . . . but I guess I was wrong.

Use the wet sand near the water and avoid the soft sand further away.

This airport shows you how it is done


Don't forget about the tide or you will be overstaying your welcome.

[TheSoccerMom]

Nice landing, Duarte!!   

And great photo!!  You should hang that up in your office....  and with luck, in many years of flying to come, that will remain your ONLY forced landing.....   

 

[duarte07]

Thanks TheSoccerMom. I have the picture already in my office ...
Hope too it'll be the last FORCED landing in my life ...
 

[duarte07]

Thanks Ragwing. I had the problem you mention with the tide coming up. One hour after landing a first wave splashed the right main gear ... 8 people moving the plane on the sand. Not even a paint scratch ... I was very lucky ...

Duarte Fernandes Pinto

 

[Ragwing]

Duarte,
You have been initiated safely.
 
Wishing you many many safe flights

[duarte07]

Thanks RagWing. I was indeed safely initiated. Now I fly a PiperSport (CS-USE), a fantastic safe plane, with variable pitch and BRS. I flew it 70 hrs since purchase and am very happy with it ...

Watch him flying all over Portugal and Spain following this link ...

PiperSport CS-USE

Wish you safe flights and landings too,

Duarte Fernandes Pinto

 

[ZK Kiwi]

I was always wondering how an airplan would handle in the sand since I fly a lot on the California coast. I always figured the nose gear might sink in and the plane will do a flip . . . but I guess I was wrong.

Use the wet sand near the water and avoid the soft sand further away.

This airport shows you how it is done


Don't forget about the tide or you will be overstaying your welcome.

Here in NZ my Sport Aircraft Association Chapter hosts a regular Beach flying workshop during our summer Fly - Ins. We cover all the theory of factors to consider when flying of beaches, then head out for a practical session on a huge deserted beach on the West coast of the North Island.  Its a handy skill to learn, and a great confidence builder. A bonus is the shellfish beds at the end of the beach - as its inaccessible by road the Mussels are huge! . We put 27 aircraft on the beach last time....





good work on the forced landing too  - I'd bet it'd be a different story to beach flying with everything working!