Watch This Amazing Emergency Landing After Airplane Propeller Falls Off
- Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:16pm by
Liz Klimas
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Hey pilots, mind keeping your eyes on the open air in front of you? Oh wait. What? You just saw your propeller fall off? And now you’re looking for a safe place to land in the middle of no where?
Gizmodo reports this is just what pilots of a Cessna 172B in Mexico had to do when the propeller of the plane dropped off (see video below):
Before the first cut the plane is good, with the propeller still on. The next one, it’s off, but the engine is still running to keep power in the plane. Then you can hear pilot — steel nerves, not a single sign of nervousness — and co-pilot discussing where to land, looking for a place — “there are some trees” the pilot comments calmly at one point — until they spot the road in which he finally performs a perfect emergency landing.
Looking for a place to land.
Pilot pleased with his emergency landing.
See -- no propeller.
Watch the cockpit view of the landing with audio of passengers’ reaction and footage of the plane safely on the ground at the end (Note: the pilots start looking for a place to land around 1:10):
According to Gizmodo, one woman says “I’ve never felt death so near.”
Related: Check out these other Blaze articles with impressive airplane landings: Only eight pilots are qualified to land at this airport; watch this Boeing 767 make a belly landing in Poland; and crosswind landings require skilled pilots for smooth touchdowns.
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Comments (96)
Iamnotanumber
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:37pmthis says it better than i ever could….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QNAwUdHUQ
Report Post »AhLeahIris
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 11:43pmHeh Heh… You want to see some Ron Paul supporters’ propellers fall off? http://wp.me/p1HGwx-2m7
Report Post »redgypsy
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:35pmHoly Moly!! I know just enough about planes to be terrified. Those pilots were AWESOME!
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 3:12pmGood on em!
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 3:38pm.
Report Post »“Hey, Joe, is this a jet?”
“No, why?”
“I got some bad news.”
lwnmwrmn
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:06pmbetcha the mechanic had some splainin to do…
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:11pmI remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon where he ran out of gas right before he hit. Whew! You never get that kind of luck without Bugs.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:46pm.
Report Post »“Don’t worry, I just had the plane gone over
in Tijuana by Cheech and Chong.”
jrmartin
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 8:40pmNo problems really. The 172 is extremely safe unless someone does something really stupid. Flew wife and kids all over the place in one. With full flaps you can set down around 65mph. Just have enough room not to run into something. Of couse this is in an emergency only.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 10:01pmThis is a fake video. When a prop comes loose it flies forward and never hits the plane. I think they had an emergency, landed, ran the nose (with a prop) into that big bolder and the plane backed up a few feet from the impact.
Report Post »scruffycat
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:47pmIts called “flying the plane”. When something bad happens you always continue to “fly the plane” with what you have left. Lucky the nice smooth road was there. I noticed powerlines and vehicles running on the road as hazards though. It just wasn‘t that plane’s time to die that day.
Report Post »rs9
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:01pmanother example of illegal aliens doing the jobs that Americans won’t do
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:02pmAhhh that’s where that lock-washer went…..
Report Post »aragona
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:21pmAccording to the story, the pilots of a Cessna 172B [were] in Mexico. If these were indeed “illegals” that means they were Americans (or some other country’s citizens) flying in Mexico. If they were indeed illegal Americans, at least they knew how to speak that language of Mexico – Spanish. That’s more than can be said about the illegals who are in the U.S.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 3:41pmREPUBLICORP, My first thought when I read the headline was that some careless mechanic must have forgotten to safety wire the Jesus nut. ARAGONA, Lighten up Francis. RS9 was being humorous. But, if you heard a loud whoosh when you read his post, it was probably that humor flying right over your head.
Report Post »aragona
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:41pmYes, I know, RJJ. So was I … so I guess maybe YOU need to lighten up, ha ha
Report Post »joejmz
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:36pmThat‘s one of the pilot’s testicles sitting next to the plane after landing.
Report Post »BeechSportBill
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 6:41pmABSOLUTELY! Even the passengers in the back held it together until on the ground. GOOD CREW!
Report Post »anAmericanVet
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:33pmWe don’t need no steenkeen propeller !!
Report Post »Wyratt
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:32pm“I’m looking for Ray Finckle,,,,and a clean pair of underwear..”
Report Post »MN NICE
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:27pmAny landing you can walk away from, is a good landing…
Report Post »90% of the training is for emergencies – just stay calm and fly the plane.
Love flying light aircraft – feel safer in the air than on the highways!!
sweetgold
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:39pmI had to do that once during training. Fortunately we were in a low population area (ranches) and one of them had a convenient dirt strip available. I could hardly walk when I got out of the cockpit. The airplane was a Cessna 182 RG. Fuel line problem. The instructor/owner repaired it on the spot and we took off
Report Post »and returned to base !!
BootsAreWalkin
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:39pmSweetgold lucky you still had hydraulics to lower and lock the gear, unless you were gear down already. I seem to recall these were forward motion gear drop, and the things had a bit higher stall speed than the 172s, etc too.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 3:54pmSWEETGOLD, Good for you. As for the walking part I sort of know how you feel. I was a a front seat passenger in an OH58 back around ‘79 when we experienced an auto gyro landing. I had to swallow really hard to get my ‘stones’ back in their natural location. I had flown a lot with that pilot and really had more respect for him afterwards, but I bet we both had to do laundry shortly after being recovered. Nobody was even remotely hurt, bird was undamaged although the pilot was originally worried about spreading the skids. I believe it was a fuel line problem too.
Report Post »GotLead
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:19pmIt’s Bushes Fault.
Report Post »BeechSportBill
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 6:42pmWhat? WillBeDone is OBAMA?
Report Post »Thinking Man
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:19pm“The next one, it’s off, but the engine is still running to keep power in the plane.”
Not true. Something smells fishy here. The engine could not possibly continue to run without the propeller. The propeller provides the flywheel function for airplane engines, and it limits the engine RPM. If the propeller came off, the engine was destroyed from sudden, and extreme, over speed or quit because of no flywheel function.
Report Post »Belchfire V-8
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:26pmactually, there is a thing onboard called a battery
Report Post »snufy
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:33pmYou don‘t know what you’re talking about. The engine drives the prop, and that‘s what they’re talking about. The prop isn’t part of the engine. The pilots did what they’re supposed to do…always look for landing spots in case of engine failure. I am a pilot. Are you?
Report Post »Thinking Man
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:42pmYes, I am a certified flight instructor, and I’m a aircraft engineer.
Report Post »UniversityConservative
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:27pmI highly doubt the Cessna had a constant speed prop because it was a B model and they did not come with them. So it is possible that the propeller was not attached correctly or that some bolts wore out. For small planes like that it is a direct connection and throttle controls engine speed which is transmitted to the propeller. So if the propeller was removed the engine would still operate at the normal RPM range just like it would on a test stand.
Report Post »BootsAreWalkin
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 2:29pmOverspeed not likely if he idled back to nothing quickly. Not saying you’re wrong, just saying if he chopped power it’s possible….which would be the first thing anyone would probably do after soiling first soiling their britches.
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 3:46pm@ UniversityConservative
So if the propeller was removed the engine would still operate at the normal RPM range just like it would on a test stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ ding ding ding ~ WRONG ANSWER !
Depending on the condition of flight (take-off, landing, cruise) different things happen to that engine. Depending on the power setting when the prop fell off the engine would probably over RPM if it didn’t have a governor and then seize up or quit (have seen it happen).
Here‘s a video describing what I’m talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhyEnqudx8M&feature=related
Report Post »Thinking Man
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:01pmWhile you may use throttle to control engine speed, throttle only controls air flow (and indirectly fuel flow) into the engine; thus controlling the power the engine generates and transmits to the propeller. The engine speed is controlled balancing the power required by the power provided.
If you remove the propeller the power normally absorbed by the propeller would be applied to accelerating the crankshaft of the engine. You pilots know the propeller is sized and pitched to prevent over speed of the engine at full throttle on the ground and in straight and level flight.
The simple way to say this is; if the engine is providing 150 hp and the propeller is no longer there to absorb the 150 hp, the power goes into accelerating the engine. Push the clutch in the next time you are driving up a hill, and see what happens to your car.
As for throttling back to idle, that can possible be done, but the engine would die because the flywheel is needed to absob and provide power between power strokes of the engine. Airplane engines do not have the traditional fly wheel you would find on your car engine, the propeller provides this function, to save weight.
Report Post »estguy
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 6:03pmyea, my first concern was what happened to the CG, you know we have passengers in back, I think we just increased the stall speed to about 75kph, probably not a handful to get down, but be careful with the flare, or you’ll spin into the ground
Report Post »demsaredumb
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 9:08pm@ Thinking man, you are right I am also a flight instructor and that engine sounded normal till they powered back for the landing. ………@ snuffy what the heck are YOU talking about?
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:03pm“I never felt death so near”— is she talking about the air, or after they landed?>I mean they did land in Mexico–didn’t they?!
Report Post »PATRIOTMAMA
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:59pmlol no kidding. NEW UNDIES FOR EVERYONE. But we’re sure as heck laughing and smiling and even singing all the way to the Walmart on this one. Happy to be alive for sure!!! GREAT JOB pilot!!! I wouldn’t have been able to hold the camera I would have been kissing the pilot too much. Holy Moly!!!! Yep, I‘m definitely reminded of why I don’t fly in small planes. (shudder)
Report Post »Stevsea
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:55pmLefty Loosy..Righty Tighty??
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:03pmMany years ago, back during my flight training days, my instructor pointed to the propeller on the front of the aircraft and asked me what it was…..when I said, “that’s the propeller”, he said, you are wrong, that is the “pilot fan”, which is designed to keep the pilot cool”. When I asked him how he knew that, he said: “it’s simple, if the pilot fan stops turning, the pilot instantly begins to sweat”…….ahhh…memories….
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:28pmI thought if it was up front it was a
Report Post »propuller and it provided
propwash to keep the crew clean……
USAMEDIC3008
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:36pmWhat do I know anyway most of my time was in
Report Post »UH 1 B,C,H mods so all I had Was
roterwash
TXPilot
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:11pmUSAMEDIC3008……lol……flight without airspeed is not natural…..:D
Report Post »OldFlyGuy
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:48pmHe stowed the hand-held GPS on the brow and remained calm. It looks like he opened the window but I couldn’t tell if he unlocked the doors. In an off-field landing it is a good idea to unlock the doors and even push them open some. They will not open against the wind pressure and are less likely to jam if the sheet metal gets bent. Great job pilot!
Report Post »FlatFoot
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:45pmPropellers just fall off airborne airplanes in Mexico.
Go figure.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:43pmMexican Aircraft maintenance … prop put on with crazy glue? Rubberband? Nice landing .. glide her in. My father had an antique Stinson single prop airplane .. prop never came off ;-)
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:40pmWho did the preflight inspection. Hard to believe there wouldn’t have been a noticeable problem with the propeller. They don’t just fall off.
Report Post »Lesterp
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:54pmHappens every year, more than once. A pre-flight would not catch that unless it was ready to come loose on the ground!
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:13pmYou are supposed to check that the propeller is properly secure and that there are no cracks, nicks, or anything else that could potentially become a structural defect. Anything significant enough to have a propeller fall off while in flight should have been caught on the ground.
A proper preflight inspection isn’t a quick glance around just before taking off, it’s a painstaking process of thoroughly going over each item on a checklist. You’re not supposed to be just walking around looking at things and seeing if bolts are hand tight.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:38pmEveryone in the car…we are headed to the nearest Walmart…The underwear is on me!
Report Post »Dexter Alarius
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:38pmThe same thing happened to my brother-in-law last year while he was giving a training flight to a student. They put it down in a potato field but ended up flipping upside down. No one was hurt, luckily.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:35pmNice landing.
Report Post »Truly_Unbelievable
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:34pmGood job pilot!
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:31pmSolid “9.5″ on the pucker scale!
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:29pmBravo!
Report Post »SLARTIBARTFAST
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:28pmBet it was up on blocks and stripped by the next morning! Really though, it takes nerves of steel to stay calm during a dead-stick landing like that. (Had a brother-in-law who did that twice.) And it’s time to fire the mechanic.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:44pmYep, time to check the maintenance logs and see who left the propeller loose.
Report Post »PlowMan
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:46pmMechanic!!??, it’s Mexico man!! I don’t like a lot of government intrusion but I believe the FAA has a role in our modern world. This is proof that our system works. Of course I’m sure this could happen here too, I would spectulate that our planes have a much better record than theirs though.
Report Post »Belchfire V-8
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 1:30pmthe crankshaft or flange might have fractured, or the bolts failed due to over tightening
Report Post »BeechSportBill
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 6:48pmWhen that prop ‘departed’ it sure tore up the nose cowling – this may have started with a broken motor mount, or a loose propeller. Too bad that ‘footage’ is missing from the recording for the time of the event. If the engine ran away for long, it would tear loose (still seems aligned in the final shots) from the motor mounts and maybe even come off the airplane, so, I’m guessing the instructor chopped the throttle immediately.. With that imbalance, the plane would NOT continue to glide. NO successful landing.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:26pmWhen I flew small planes the norm was :
Report Post »Check all gauges, try and restart and look for a safe place to land. Good job there sir!!! A 172 I think has a 10:1 glide ratio meaning every 1000′ of altitude you can glide 10x that or about 2 miles.
Halloween
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:16pmYou glide ratio drops when your plane is overloaded with drugs. But still, the drugs and pane made it down safely.
Report Post »willbedone
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 12:25pmWould someone please pass the toilet paper?
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