Pilot lands on highway instead of at Grand Canyon Airport

[derg]

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A confused pilot landed his plane Sunday on southbound State Route 64 instead of the Grand Canyon Airport, to where it was later towed, officials said.​

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"The plane did not crash, simply landed on the highway,' the Arizona Department of Public Safety said in an email. "We now know this was not an emergency landing, simply a confused pilot who thought the highway was part of the airport."​

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The small plane blocked both lanes of the highway after its 2:40 p.m. landing near mile post 232 until DPS towed it into Grand Canyon Airport.​

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"There were no injuries or damage done," DPS said.​

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/20120916grand-canyon-airport-landing-highway.html#ixzz26hSMFFMp​

 

[Boris Badenov]

Who said drinking and flying was bad? Not me!

 

[fosters]

He looks a little right of centerline.

 

[tiredcfi]

He looks a little right of centerline.

Would you expect someone that can't tell the difference between an airport and a road to be able to land worth a crap?

 

[contactground.9]

Longest. Runway. Ever.

 

[Acrofox]

If it was in New York, they'd be holding him as a terrorist right now, and he'd be arrested on a dozen charges. (And they'd probably be beating the snot out of him...)

 

[scooter2525]

They assumed he was confused. Maybe he wanted to land there

 

[HerrGruyere]

Maybe he thought he could just pull the plane into the driveway of his friend's house...

Edit: I was thinking: if I was like "Oh snap this is a road not a runway!" I'd probably just take off unless I was low on fuel or something. If they didn't see it, it's not illegal!

 

[Fencer]

If it was in New York, they'd be holding him as a terrorist right now, and he'd be arrested on a dozen charges. (And they'd probably be beating the snot out of him...)

Nah. A kid landed on the beach last year nuting happened.

 

[African_Swallow]

Nah. A kid landed on the beach last year nuting happened.

Yeah, what happened to that kid? Didn't they find, um, non-prescribed/non-over-the-counter substances in him...I seem to recall...

 

[Patrick]

An old guy I know used to buzz around in a Piper Pacer, and way back in the day (like 30-40 years ago) he had routinely landed on roads in west Texas and taxied up to a car gas station, fueled up, and taken back off on the road again.

 

[ClearedToThe]

Let's not forget: "Good goes around, but great lands on mike!"

 

[cmhumphr]

I wonder what would have happened if there were power lines running parallel to the road..

 

[Rudabega]

Cheap alternative to the landing fees at the airport.

 

[rframe]

A lot more convenient to land on the highway in front of the cafe, rather than land at the airport and walk...

 

[thevideographer]

Has anyone else been tempted to do a touch and go on a really long, straight road?

 

[rframe]

Has anyone else been tempted to do a touch and go on a really long, straight road?

Tempted? I've done full stops. Dunno why everyone feels like they are restricted to using "runways".

Just remember, utility lines are everywhere and often nearly invisible, so you'd better know the area. Also, while the FAA doesn't give a rip where you land, the local municipalities might not take so kindly to it.

 

[Zidac]

I was looking at the airport just now on Google Earth. I don't understand how someone could make this mistake.

 

[thevideographer]

Wasn't there a student pilot a while ago who landed a Cirrus on a residential street, with mailboxes and all? The street was ~3 miles from the runway and not quite aligned with it.

Ah, yes, here it is:
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=f031d0b1-291b-445f-b3a3-dbb96a32aa45

One of the mysteries of aviation; why did that pilot land there/do that/pull back on that stick shaker/etc.

 

[Zidac]

Wasn't there a student pilot a while ago who landed a Cirrus on a residential street, with mailboxes and all? The street was ~3 miles from the runway and not quite aligned with it.

Ah, yes, here it is:
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=f031d0b1-291b-445f-b3a3-dbb96a32aa45

One of the mysteries of aviation; why did that pilot land there/do that/pull back on that stick shaker/etc.

"We land here all the time," the pilot reportedly said.