Rough Field Landings

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...
It also might've already been harvested. When and where I grew up, the
farmers
would harvest the ears and cut the stalks for sileage. Such a field
wouldn't be
a bad landing spot most of the year.

This is a great point. Keep in mind what happens to your landing surface
through out the year and with weather changes. A field that you may
repeatedly fly over and think that would make a great emergency landing spot
may turn into an unseen swamp after even a light rain. In much of the
Midwest those perfectly flat farm fields make great options to consider, but
maybe not after periods of rain. Dark soil will retain more water than
sandy soil.

Those same fields that are soft and smooth in the summer may turn rock hard
and rough as hell if there isn't any snow cover. This is what central
Wisconsin looks like right now. Full of farm fields that were disked and
chisel plowed this fall but no snow cover to make them smooth. Perfect for
ripping your gear off no matter what direction you land. In this situation
I look for short grass without rocks because I know it hasn't changed. Here
the rocks are in the ridges and the land that happens to be farmed isn't
irrigated or farmed. Perfect landing spot this time of year would be a
field with a cover crop of rye or wheat with an irrigation system. I know
it will be smooth and rock free.

The same idea can be transferred to about lakes. The lake that you fly by
all summer long may turn into your best option once winter comes and it is
frozen over. Watch for ice fishermen... if the lake can support their cars,
chances are it will support your airplane. Avoid lakes without ice
fisherman, this can mean the ice isn't thick enough or that it is a spring
fed lake and doesn't freeze completely. Watch for snow drifts and touch
down as softly as possible, remember braking action will be nill.

Jim


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Corn and other crops can be bad on the aircraft but you will survive.

"knee high by the fourth of July" was the formula for the NE US. Up to
about the 4th, corn was landable without damage except to the crop. After
that, you start to get the airframe stained, then banged up and 30 days
later, you will not come out airworthy.

Lots of variations with seasons, crops, and local practices. I was exposed
to what I will call 'insurance' cotton fields in the caprock area of NM/TX.
The cotton that was going to be harvested was irrigated and too high for
damage free landings. Then there were these fields that had been worked and
planted but never irrigated. Perfect for landing and no crop damage. The
helpful rancher from next door told me, "if you never setup the irrigation
on the field, they don't have chance in this area - just planted for crop
insurance claims". Rural welfare I guess but perfect for offield landings.

"zatatime" wrote in message Lastly I never knew corn was
so bad. I heard a story of my first
instructor (old WWII pilot) putting down in a corn field with a
student without any damage. Must've been young corn from the comments
I've seen here. g After that, I've always thought corn was a good
way to go, I will now try to recondition myself to putting it 3rd or
4th on the list when I'm scoping out landing options.

Forget about the airplane, concentrate on saving lives.

Slowest possible foreward speed at touch down, no matter what the surface
is. Maintain control and do not stall the aircraft! Falling out of the sky
30 feet above the ground will kill passengers faster than a controlled crash
straight ahead.

If you have a choice land into the wind and or uphill if possible.

Reduce sources of ignition. Turn off fuel and electrical as much as
possible.

Prepare your passengers for impact after touchdown. Seatbelts tight, knees
up, wrap your arms around your knees, face down into your thighs. Your
objective is to keep your passengers and yourself: 1)alive 2)conscious and
3)mobil, in that order.

Land "with" the rows, furrows, ditch, traffic etc.

Do what ever it takes to reduce your chances of rolling or tumbling the
aircraft. Keep the centerline of the aircraft pointed in the direction that
you are traveling.

Look for power poles, not lines. You're able to see poles a lot sooner
than you'll ever see the lines. Do not forget about guy wires.

Land "behind" the house rather than in front. The odds are better that the
power lines enter from the front.

If you try to land on a road and there is a house or building nearby, odds
are 50/50 that there will be power lines crossing the road.

Open a door prior to touchdown. A bent airframe, deep snow, or mud, may
prevent you from opening it after you stop moving.

Realize that freshly plowed fields not only have furrows but tend to be
soft. A gear up landing (if possible) may prevent your gear from digging in
and cartwheeling your airplane.

Think about why a potential landing spot is in the condition that it is.
Many times areas of long grass aren't mowed for a reason.... rocks? swamp?.
Avoid them unless you are familiar with the area (and if you have a choice).

Look beyond your landing spot. You may be proud of the approach and
touchdown that you make... right up to the point that you skid into a
drainage ditch.

There are some great survival books and articles available. Read a couple
then buy a survival kit to keep in the plane. Remember the name of the game
is survival, not luxury, carry things that will keep you warm and dry. Don't
forget to carry water on every flight.

Jim




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In addition to those great comments, there are a couple of more items
you rarely see mentioned.

Before landing, have everyone take off their headphones! People
who've been in wrecks have mentioned how much it hurt when the
earphones flew off during an abrupt stop.

I once read some study the USAF did. IIRC, it said that 45 seconds of
engine-off gliding was enough to cool down the typical single-engine
motor and exhaust to the point that fire was much less likely. I have
no idea what to do with that info, however g.

Kev

Thank your for a very informative reply, Jim. I need to look for more
information on survival articles/books that you refer to because I did
not think of some of the issues you mentioned. One probably gets only
one chance to do it right.

Deep

Selwaykid's comment about ag pilots is dead on. I've grown up on and still
work on a vegetable farm and have a close relationship with our ag pilots.
I've seen several make emergency landings off airport. Most walk away
shaken, but not stirred. Those that do not constantly pay attention to
where they would land sometimes do not walk away. They have to have a
landing spot in mind at all times because unlike GA pilots, their first move
isn't to "pick" or head to a landing spot. It's dump the load, climb, then
head to the landing spot that they already have in their mind.

Next time you get around a "good" ag pilot, not just a wind bag, pull him
aside and ask him what he watches for and keeps in the back of his head at
all times.

Jim

wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank your for a very informative reply, Jim. I need to look for more
information on survival articles/books that you refer to because I did
not think of some of the issues you mentioned. One probably gets only
one chance to do it right.

Deep



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Wow Mr Burns! Never seen so much in one place so well said. In particular:

Do what ever it takes to reduce your chances of rolling or tumbling the
aircraft. Keep the centerline of the aircraft pointed in the direction
that
you are traveling.

Look for power poles, not lines. You're able to see poles a lot sooner
than you'll ever see the lines. Do not forget about guy wires.

Land "behind" the house rather than in front. The odds are better that
the
power lines enter from the front.

If you try to land on a road and there is a house or building nearby, odds
are 50/50 that there will be power lines crossing the road.

Think about why a potential landing spot is in the condition that it is.
Many times areas of long grass aren't mowed for a reason.... rocks?
swamp?.
Avoid them unless you are familiar with the area (and if you have a
choice).

Not adding any value here, just repeating because it's all good.

Jim
You sound like an ag pilot! Excellent advice. I'm glad this post got
the activity it has and hope it will save someone in the future if
faced with an emergency off airport landing. Your input is certainly
valid and valuable.
Cheers
Rocky aka SelwayKid (from the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness of Montana)

Glider pilots pay a lot of attention to landings in rough and unusual
places. Especially racers and record chasers. Off field landings are not
necessarily 'emergencies' and in fact qualify as normal operations in many
cases. But they are always risky and often are just a half step away from
real emergencies if gets carried away with trying to stay up or make a goal.

Farmers fields are the main venue - agriculture makes cross country soaring
possible. You can learn so much about farming like, "why did the farmer
choose to make this field a pasture rather than plow it?" Or the classic,
"why is there only one cow?"

Roads are always tempting but are full of obstructions let alone traffic,
especially with 50' wings. "What is the key document needed to avoid making
a normal landing a 7 o'clock news emergency?"

Tree tops can be soft but the trip down is the challenge - whether the a/c
goes all the way down on impact or you need to climb down, or worse lowered
down with a rope around your waist (I have pics). "What causes the most
damage in a tree top landing?"

Anyway, sounds like Ag pilots and glider guider share a fascination with
figuring out, "what would I do if I had to put down here?" Fun stuff!

Seriously, one does have to make a very important decision during one of
these events... how hard do you want to work to save the aircraft?
Surviveability is almost always doable but airworthiness afterwards takes
some effort and often some risk.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Here I am with the big stick again. I can't recall anyone discussing
rough area landings or hostile terrain landings in a long time. For
example, forced to land (no matter the reason-you supply one) and you
are headed into a corn field, or a rice paddy, or trees, or perhaps
mountain slopes. Well lets take it to the swamps where you have both
trees and water? Hmmmm, how about on city streets?
Anyone ever paid much attention to the field surfaces as you drive
along? Or the wires that cross streets and highways? Or traffic flows
and bridge heights? These are all things that ag pilots look at almost
unconciously and deal with on a regular basis.
How about you? Sure it may never happen but statistics don't mean a
thing when you are tagged, IT!
With winter on us and snow on the ground, can you tell what is under
that white mantle? Can you tell how deep it is? Are you prepared to
stay warm until you can get out or until help arrives? What a bummer to
make a good landing on a frozen lake and then freeze to death because
you didn't have any warm gear with you. Like the two blondes who froze
to death at the drive in when they went to see "Closed For The Winter".
(sorry I couldn't help myself)
I won't bore you with the places where I have had to land, or when I
rescued people who had landed in nasty places. What I can do is share
some of the information I learned from it.
Now I'm gonna sit back and wait to see who is interested and wants to
participate in an exchange of knowledge and ideas.
Ol Shy & Bashful - The CFII with the big stirring stick

To reply to the original question.
You are -never- going to get a 100% cover of trees.
There will be land slips on the hills, ridges that have no or very few
trees on them.
In forestry bush you will have fire breaks and access roads.
Rivers and streams are always there as open areas.

There is the old adage about the most useless things in aviation.
Runway behind you, altitude above you and fuel in the bowser.

When you do a crosscountry -always- look for suitable sites for
emergency landings. it may well save your life one day...