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See the Surprisingly Smooth Landing of This Ultralight Aircraft After Its Engine Dies Over Woods

Dec. 11, 2012 7:30pm Liz Klimas

Flying in an open, ultralight aircraft, exposed to the elements, is pretty noisy with the wind whipping by and the roar of the engine. And while a pilot might wish for some peace and quiet as he or she glides above forests or farmland, the sound of the engine cutting out might not be as welcome as as they previously thought.

This is just what happened to the pilot featured in a recent video posted on LiveLeak. The camera on board the aircraft seating two individuals (one we later find out is named Kathy) shows the fall colors of the trees well below and even records the moment when the engine fails. The pilot then searches for a road, which he thankfully finds and lands, steering them into the trees.

Ultralight Aircraft Engine Fails Above Woods But Pilot Safely Lands on Street Before Crashing Into Trees

Engine fails at about this height over the trees. (Image: Youtube screenshot)

Oh good. There’s the road. (Image: Youtube screenshot)

Touching down safely. (Image: Youtube screenshot)

“Kathy, you’re OK?” the pilot asks his passenger several times. She doesn’t respond, seeming either in shock or a bit miffed.

And into the trees. Here’s Kathy. (Image: Youtube screenshot)

Watch the “hair-raising” video and see if you can hear when the engine fails (Warning: Some strong language):

Although we can’t confirm when or where this incident happened, a YouTube search for ultralight engine failure makes it seem like it’s more common than you might think.

In this one the engine fails just after a minute into the clip and the pilot lands with a thud on the ground. Both the passengers walk away unhurt:

The engine on this ultralight begins sputtering 15 seconds into the clip and goes completely off before 25 seconds:

(H/T: Jalopnik)

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Comments (23)

BACKUPOFFMYLIBERTY
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 1:47pm
A seat with some wings and lawnmower engine on it. No thanks. I’ll pick another hobby.

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KevINtampa
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 12:17pm
Not that surprising at all. An ultra-light is basically a hang glider with a propeller on a lawn mower engine. Key word there is GLIDER.

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Flyingfish
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:32am
Nothing surprising about a smooth landing in any aircraft that has an engine out…..that’s how you land normally!

Only difference you only get one shot at it. :)

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BlessedONE333
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 4:52am
I think Kathy will not be doing that again lol

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- KIWL-DA-WABBIT
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 5:23am
  I got to ride in one of these ultralights when I was about 20 21 and it was amazing. The plane I rode in had a VERY powerful engine, it was from a snow moblie, extremely loud, had to wear ear muffs. There was no way this engine was going to fail. The pilot actually turned it of on purpose and we glided for quite some time. He was saying this is what it is like to be an eagle, he was out there. Then he turned the engine back on and he even let me control it, started dive bombing cows and trees and such, it was great.
  
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- Halgar
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 1:52pm
  I don’t know… why not do it again?
  I mean, you went up in an aircraft, that had a complete engine failure and had no problems whatsoever landing perfectly safely.
  
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grayling646
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 2:05am
I’d need a twelve pack and a roll of toilet paper.

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banjarmon
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 1:31am
I could make a fortune selling clean shorts to those creazy people!!!

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brigott
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 11:48pm
Are all of these true engine failures, or are some of those pilots intentionally turning off the engine to practice gliding landings?

I just don’t hear any panic or distress in the voices of the pilots and/or passengers. Only the second one showed anything that would be a truly rough landing.

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- THX-1138
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:28am
  The ones that panic don’t leave video…
  
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- SkyhawkPilot
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:40am
  Yep, what THX said. A VERY common misconception is that an airplane will drop like a rock if the engine cuts out. The truth is that most GA planes can glide for MILES, even with just a couple thousand feet of altitude to work with.
  
  Oh yeah, then there’s the fact that you bring the engine to idle whenever you land, anyway. In situations like the ones in these videos, as long as I know I can reach a safe landing area (which you should be planning for, anyway) everything else is trivial – whether the engine is behaving or not.
  
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Nowarningshot
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 11:47pm
I flew ultralights for years. Most of them glide very well. It was fun to kill the engine at 1000ft and glide in to a landing. You should always fly an ultralight as if a three year old is in charge of the kill switch, because 2 cycle engines sometimes quit for the hell of it.

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venrooy
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 11:10pm
Kathy you’re ok… Now go make me a sammich.

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- Chuck Stein
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 1:42am
  Good one — I laughed
  
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Advection
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:32pm
“Your okay?”

“Your okay?”

“Kathy? Your okay, right?”

“You’re okay, baby.”

Get away from that woman ASAP. Run!

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sdbonkowski
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:33pm
man, those look pretty safe…and fun! it has got to be a genuine feeling of freedom flying them.

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- paperpushermj
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:36pm
  It is
  
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- tajloc
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:10am
  Uh…did you forget? That is not an airstrip…it is a highway with NO ONE coming. Never go in a place that you have to rely on some Obamaniac to protect you. A conservative is just a liberal that got mugged.
  But Rom 8:28
  
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peteasdf
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 7:51pm
That was not smooth. Engine out landings are the same (mostly) as when the engine is on.

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normbal
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 7:38pm
What do you call an ultralight that loses its engine? A glider. Set flaps for best glide and look for a landing site. No biggie.

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- ThomasUSA
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:05pm
  The only flaps on an ultra light are your arms when you are trying to get than little extra distance before touchdown! :)
  
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- SekndAmendment
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:11pm
  Did you even watch the last video…?
  
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- paperpushermj
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:38pm
  Hahaha
  
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