The Calmest ‘Emergency’ Beach Landing You May Ever Hear — and The Craziest Excuse
- Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:04am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Just because you see something on TV doesn’t mean you should try it at home. Or in the air, for that matter.
But that’s what one private New York pilot did this week when he made a non-emergency emergency landing on a beach after seeing it on the show “Flying Wild Alaska.”
Here’s the jaw-dropping audio between pilot Jason Maloney and a local air traffic controller:
The New York Times details the exchange and Maloney’s story, which doesn’t seem to add up:
Mr. Maloney soon requested permission to cruise along the Rockaways shore and sounded quite relaxed, even uncharacteristically so by pilot standards. Twice, upon receiving authorization to fly below 500 feet along the shoreline, the pilot replied, “Roger,” but stretched it out and pronounced it, “rod-jaaah,” according to the recording. He also told the controller, who was nearby at Kennedy Airport monitoring outgoing flights, “Just let us know if we’re up in your grill, you know?”
At some point, [passenger] Ms. Protter became sick, and Mr. Maloney made an unusual request to the controller. He said he wanted to bring a “pastor” to Kennedy “who’s doing some medical mission work. Where would I drop them off at your airport?”
“That would be up to the Port Authority,” the controller replied, referring to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport. Whether Mr. Maloney contacted the Port Authority on another frequency, or what he meant by “medical mission,” was unclear. Mr. Maloney’s family declined to comment on the matter on Tuesday, and his passengers did not respond to voice and e-mail messages.
A short while later, Mr. Maloney presented his next idea to the controller.
“Hey tower, I’ve got a question for you,” he said. “This might be crazy, but are we allowed to land on the beach?”
“I don’t think so, unless it was an emergency,” the controller replied. The recording was posted to the Web by LiveATC.net, which tracks air communications.
“I’m a paramedic,” Mr. Maloney said. “Is there anybody I can ask?” (Mr. Maloney is studying medicine at Georgetown University; his grandmother, Helen Maloney, 82, called him “the most wonderful person that I know” and said he builds homes for Habitat for Humanity.)
The controller told him that all the beaches are public and that only emergency landings would be allowed. Mr. Maloney asked if there were any private beaches nearby, and the controller said he did not believe so.
Mr. Maloney then had another concern: “You know, tower, my engine might be running a little, teensy, teensy bit rough. A little teensy bit rough.”
The controller asked if he needed help, and Mr. Maloney said, “You know what, we should be fine, but I’m going to make a precautionary landing. Is that all right with you?”
“Landing will be at your own risk,” the controller replied.
“We got that,” Mr. Maloney said. “We’ve got a sick passenger, so we’re not going to declare an emergency, but we’re going to land on the beach.”
“Well, then that would be an emergency,” the controller said. “Hold there, they’re going to be sending police.”
When confronted by police after the landing, Maloney responded, “What’s the big deal? It happens all the time in Alaska.”
That prompted one of the most appropriate retorts I’ve heard in a long time: “Welcome to New York.”
(H/T: Gawker)
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Comments (95)
PhantomsPhorever
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:55pmIt pains me to report that this level of stupidity is not rare at all among civil aviation. Just fly into any popular uncontrolled pancake breakfast spot at 0900 on a pretty Saturday and watch the blatantly stupid pilots, who do not even have enough knowledge to be aware of their disregard for the others in the pattern. I always follow the plane that cuts me off on short base, as he violates the patter with 5 other planes in it. It usually is a late twenty something silver spoonish looking guy in a Cirrus. I just don’t know how you can spend so much money in training and feel that a straight in approach for your convenience is appropriate or acceptable.
Seriously, I can find you this guy on any given Saturday.
Report Post »tankerBigRed1
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:46pmHe forgot his tundra tires..
Report Post »Gruug
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:43pmI sure hope this pilot was checked for drugs. Hope that if he has a liscense that the FAA pulls it.
Report Post »hightide
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:25pmHe’s an idiot. But as long as he paid for the emergency crew, cleanup and disposal of the plane he abandoned, I say send him to Libya.
Report Post »voicecheck1
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:03pmselfish- showoff- he should be denied
Report Post »NOBELSPORT
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:00pmLooks Like i disagree with most on here…….This is the macho, pioneering go “F” yourself attitude tha built this country……..I see nothing wrong with what he did……….Why for this guy do all of a sudden want all these rules……..
Live a little people……..feel what is like to be alive….Land of the free….ya right
I would fly with him without question
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:02pmI’m with you
Report Post »prov1
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:33pm…and then you would get out of the plane with your Bud Ice 40 oz. and kiss a baby shark on the beach……Livin‘ large ’n WINNING !
Report Post »Untameable-kate
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:45pm…and if someone had been fishing on that public beach whe he wanted to show off??
Report Post »jmanuola
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 2:21pmthat’s NOT freedom. That’s irresponsibility and clinical narcissism. Only a liberal would consider freedom and irresponsibility to be the same thing..
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 4:25amat what point would you NOT want the beach to become a runway?
Report Post »SICKOFPCNESS
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 12:39pmI totally agree with NOBELSPORT….rules and regs are killing this country! This guy has got the guts we desperately need in a president!
Report Post »libdunker
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 3:02pmThis was an extremely dangerous, unneeded, stupid move. You‘re an idiot whether or not you have a pilot’s license (not)!
Report Post »SIHKS1120
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:55amRoggggaaaaaaaaaa!!!!lol
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 5:06amYeah you knew right then this guy should not be behind the yoke of a plane.
Report Post »Annie Fields
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:51amOver/Under this guy is an Obama voter…
Report Post »meeester
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:25pmnot thinkng good = Obama voter.
Report Post »pilotusa
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 11:27amAs a commercial airline pilot, I thought this guy was the consummate moron. Then I saw your post and realized you eclipsed him in that respect.
Report Post »dabbo
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:43amIs this guy a smacked a$$ or what?
Rodgaaaa!
Report Post »Avidmonkey
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:36amAt what point were the F-15′s scrambled? This is New York, by the way.
Report Post »Barb1954
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:36amWHY was he ALLOWED to fly that low to start with???? AND……I want to know WHO his passengers were! Anyone order a PSYCH EXAM on this FOOL yet?
Report Post »Warphead
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:32amDrug test, followed immediately with a psych evaluation. His engine isn’t the only thing running a little, teensy, teensy bit rough.
Report Post »integrican
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:30am“What’s the big deal? It happens all the time in Alaska.”
Yeah, it might……If you look at the majority of Alaska’s light aircraft…..they have floats on them.
I say…I say….what a moroooooooon!!!! (said with a “Foghorn Leghorn” twang!!!!!)
Report Post »axel@25
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:29amYou may want to re-think having a disturbed 8 year old as a role model.
Report Post »TheRealElvis
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:28amThat is a great way to make a perfectly good airplane not so good anymore. Once it’s been saturated with salt water you might as well buy a new one and make beer cans out of the body.
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:28amI like it!! No harm no foul.. Bet thats one of the more expensive landings Mr. Maloney has made..
Report Post »Untameable-kate
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:54amWhat if someone had been fishing on the public beach? What if the landing had not gone smoothly and his passengers had been killed so he could get a thrill? There are laws in place to protect innocent people from this type of thrill seeker.
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:26amHis license needs to be revoked, appears to be a real nut case or high on drugs. Either way this man is dangerous.
Report Post »Palmetto rifles
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:25amOk……..I’ve been a Paramedic for 28 years……so what has that got to do with anything that was going on here????
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:24amDude deserves his licensed to be revoked.
Report Post »IvanK
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:14amI hope his insurance company denies any claim he puts forth. I’m certain there has to be a stupidity clause in it somewhere.
Report Post »Untameable-kate
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:14amI’d love to see the drug test on that guy.
Report Post »afishfarted
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:24amthat‘s exactly what I was thinkin’ flyin‘ high while flyin’ low.
Report Post »Utah_Carl
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:13amPiloting a plane near you.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:12am“Welcome to New York.” Nice!
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:12amWhat a loon & I thought most of the loons are in CA .
Report Post »southernORcobra
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:12amguy seems like he should have never been given a pilots license
Report Post »Untameable-kate
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:38amHe won’t have one for long, I think declaring a false emergency and endangering people on the ground so you can pretend you are in Alaska are reason enough to suspend, if not revoke that license.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:41amLooks like his license will be revoked. What a dunce… playing word games will land you in a bunch of trouble. They will find out this is a non emergency, he’ll be fined, license revoked and will have to pay to remove the airplane.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 11:48amThat looks almost identical to the Cherokee 140 I used to fly. I am amazed the plane is in such good condition regarding the conditions he landed in….
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:03pm.
Report Post »Well you know what they say if Pigs had wings………….
dwh320
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:03pmThat guy should spend some time in jail so he can experience flying on Con Air.
Report Post »rappini
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:19pmI’ll bet his Instructor went into excile with Kadafi.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:01pmHe is sooo toast .. and there was/is something very wrong with this guys brain (or lack there of) .. my father was a private pilot and this guy is NOT representative of any I have EVER met!
Report Post »SICKOFPCNESS
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:21pmIf we had more people with his guts running this country, we’d get something done. Ronald Reagan was a cowboy….we need more like him!
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:36pmSounds like he didn’t want his passenger coming in through the public places. Wonder exactly what kind of medicine the guy practices and what drugs he may have had?
Report Post »Brasil2520
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 2:35pmNow the tax payer has to pay for this “emergency”
Report Post »Cloth Stews
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 3:56pmDoes it make sense that this aircraft is registered to Plane Nonsense, Inc.?
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 8:04pmDid the guy pilot Pelosi plane?
Report Post »nptden
Posted on April 6, 2011 at 10:08pmDid they take a ‘blood sample’ from this idiot?..
Report Post »Avi8or
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 12:39pmWay to go, guy. As if general aviation isn’t having a hard enough time as it is. (Jerk.)
Report Post »ltb
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 8:20pmThat guy was cool!!! (SARCASM ALERT)
Report Post »Jim in Houston
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 8:40pmHe should have a jacket with sleeves that tie behind him. He is a certifiable loony tune.
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