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    Chopper makes emergency landing at CA playground

    Associated Press – Sun, Feb 5, 2012

    MODESTO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a helicopter encountered mechanical problems before making an emergency landing at an elementary school playground in a Modesto, Calif., neighborhood.

    Neighborhood resident Susanna Ballard tells The Modesto Bee (http://bit.ly/yDQbpa ) the helicopter was shaking badly as it flew over Sunday morning, and that she thought it was going to crash.

    The aircraft had fueled at the Modesto Airport and managed to land safely in a grassy area at El Vista Elementary School after nearly hitting trees and a soccer goal. No one was injured.

    Battalion Chief Hugo Patino says the two-seat helicopter made a hard landing following apparent mechanical failure.

    The pilot, who didn't give his full name, told the Bee the helicopter started having problems at 800 feet and he had no other safe place to land.

    ___

    Information from: The Modesto Bee, http://www.modbee.com

     
    • Raymond
      Raymond  •  Springfield, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      Well, you know the old saying, any landing you can walk away from's a good landing! Glad no one was seriously hurt.
      • Kevin H
        Kevin H 3 mths ago
        Raymond, it's a very old and tired saying among us pilots that's used too often by too many. However, if you're the one in the pilot's seat and get to walk away from something like this, then the saying takes on new meaning again!

        Agreed, glad no one was hurt.
    • Snowboards4You
      Snowboards4You  •  3 mths ago
      A good landing is one you walk away from. A great landing is when you can fly it again!
    • blursd
      blursd  •  3 mths ago
      Unless they have school on Sundays in Modesto I think it's safe to assume all the kids are okay ...
      • Snipe
        Snipe 3 mths ago
        Schools often have playgrounds and open spaces which are used 7 days a week. Hopefully, the helicopter made enough racket that ' if ' anyone were there, they high tailed it to safety....
      • blursd
        blursd 3 mths ago
        Well, in California they stopped doing that because of "liability" - most school playgrounds are locked up, and are only open for authorized functions when school is not in session. Here in San Diego (and most of LA) you can potentially be cited for trespassing if you're on school property over the weekend without permission from the school.
    • Erik
      Erik  •  3 mths ago
      Nobody was injured, and he was able to save the aircraft. The pilot did an excellent job.
    • CJE
      CJE  •  Aspen, Colorado  •  3 mths ago
      With the recent refueling, I am going to speculate on misfueling or contaminated fuel.
      • Jerry
        Jerry 3 mths ago
        Thats what a simple mind would think
      • Patrick
        Patrick 3 mths ago
        Good for you Inspector Gadget. I will make sure the FAA and NTSB get with you so you can share your expert opinion with them.
      • SteveL
        SteveL 3 mths ago
        CJE -

        Just an educated guess but I suspect you have only seen helicopters from a distance.
    • Daisy Cutter
      Daisy Cutter  •  Washington, District of Columbia  •  3 mths ago
      These days I'm more worried about the teachers landing on the kids.
    • Monica
      Monica  •  Pine Grove, California  •  3 mths ago
      Being in the aviation industry, anytime a pilot lands an aircraft with no deaths or injuries is good in my books! Instead of freezing up (and balling up) in an emergency, this pilot was able to recognize the issues and safely auto-rotate to the ground. Good training, excellent practice and a level head were all a part in this "whirly-bird" making a safe landing.
    • Dave
      Dave  •  San Antonio, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      any landing you walk away from is a successful landing
    • airportsteve
      airportsteve  •  Reno, Nevada  •  3 mths ago
      Choppers don't fly, they just beat the air into submission.
    • Scott S
      Scott S  •  Newport Beach, California  •  3 mths ago
      Well handled Sir.
    • Lonnie
      Lonnie  •  3 mths ago
      My pic shows the plane I crashed into the woods on Madeline Island....I fell 500 feet in a left banking dive straight into the woods....if it was not for a 70 foot tree that I made contact with entering the forest at a 45 to 50 degree angle which my high right wing cut the top 20 feet off of, I would of been killed. Instead it lifted my left wing level, made my nose lift up to level and then basically I fell 50 feet straight down on the belly of the plane in between to other trees, 6ft either way I would of been killed...Then I went home, although I had to convinced all the emergency vehicles that I was fine..just a couple of bruises. I landed it like a helicopter....I still love to fly...my 22 year old daughter will be a private pilot within the next week....how cool is that...just thought I would share...crashes are survivable.....good thing to my last son was born 9 days later.....
      • Mister
        Mister 3 mths ago
        Glad you made it down safe- what kind of plane?
      • TheAOP
        TheAOP 3 mths ago
        Sounds like the plane crash in Jurassic Park 3
      • Lonnie
        Lonnie 3 mths ago
        mister, it was a single seat challenger with a 503 rotax engine, It had a 31 ft wingspan. It was experimental but it was heavy enough and large enough to get rated as a aircraft...
        Thope: It sure felt like it was except there were no raptors...or large flesh eating beasts...
        If you want to see the pictures of it sitting in the woods with the top of that tree laying across the tail. I am on facebook and it is in my albums under my plane crash...Lonnie Norsten. I think you can view them if not just send me a friend request...I also work for some legendary musicians that my page is pretty much dedicated to...I am the Stage/Road Manager for the band...you will know who they are...Believe it or not you dont need a license to fly that thing or training, although I highly reccomend the training....One of the singers I work for has a little song called..."The Eye of the Tiger"...
    • Duetto
      Duetto  •  3 mths ago
      Thank God no casualties. Good handling.
    • Thomas
      Thomas  •  3 mths ago
      Any heli landing you can walk away from is a good landing!
    • briank12
      briank12  •  Romeoville, Illinois  •  3 mths ago
      And where did you get your bogus information, Dale? Pilots are trained to deal with situations where they lose power. In this case, the pilot chose an area where it was open, landed safely, with nobody hurt. He did the right thing. My father was a crop duster and these are good pilots. They don't fly over populated areas, they fly over farms. I suggest that you take the bus or train since you obviously have an issue with pilots.
    • Me
      Me  •  3 mths ago
      Kudos to the pilot for getting it to the ground safely. I'm a helicopter pilot myself and when You have a catastrophic emergency such as an engine failure You only have literally one second to get the collective to the floor with right pedal for an autorotation to avoid rotor blade stall. He was able to find a clear area quick enough to get it down and walk away. We can't glide to an airport like a plane, and autorotations require a great deal of practice and skill but we can land a helicopter in a smaller area than a plane could.
    • Jack
      Jack  •  3 mths ago
      At least it happened on the weekend, when no kids are at school. They're all safely playing with their video games indoors these days anyway.
    • Tom
      Tom  •  Dallas, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      When the fan stops the chopper drops. This pilot saved aircraft and walked away with his skin intact. Perfect success!
    • TRUTH
      TRUTH  •  3 mths ago
      Glad he made it...
    • blue
      blue  •  Irvine, California  •  3 mths ago
      For some reason, when the pilot survives he can explain that it was mechanical problems but, when the pilot dies, it is quickly labeled pilot error.
    • SG
      SG  •  3 mths ago
      This is awesome, just about every boy at that elementary school is gonna want to be a pilot now. God job pilot landing safely!!
     Post a comment
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