'Christmas miracle' as plane makes emergency landing at Fort McMurray - C208

[ramjet555]

'Christmas miracle' as plane makes emergency landing at Fort McMurray airport


Cessna 208 Caravan from Camrose, Alta., with 4 aboard has engine trouble, glides to just short of runway


[img width=500 height=375]https://i.cbc.ca/1.3914422.1482953499!/ ... -crash.jpg[/img]


Four people escaped without serious injuries after a small plane crashed Tuesday evening near the Fort McMurray airport. (Mike Clark/Reliable Fleet & Auto)


"They initially looked at landing on the highway, but the highway was too busy," Granger said. "So they attempted to glide in."

The plane was approaching the airport from the south. It fell short of the runway by about half a football field, Granger said, landing on a small service road near the runway.

Granger said the pilot and the three others on board walked away with bumps and bruises. All four refused to go to the hospital."It was a Christmas miracle, because the plane had basically run out of power," Granger said.
He said if the plane had come down any shorter of the highway it would have hit a power pole and a berm.

"God knows what would have happened if they had hit all those things," Granger said.

Fred Burow, an investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said there will not be a public report on the incident unless other pertinent information comes to light.

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[Slick Goodlin]

I haven't really been keeping up on this one but why wouldn't the TSB do a public report?

[ScudRunner-d95]

Ya im with you on that one, not sure why they wouldn't investigate. Single engine turbine quitting is kind of a big deal no?

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Is it possible there was to much air in the fuel tanks?

[Slick Goodlin]

[quote author=Chuck Ellsworth link=topic=5271.msg13546#msg13546 date=1483419171]
Is it possible there was to much air in the fuel tanks?
[/quote]
If not that, I figured it must be some other extremely obvious thing.  Would be nice to know, though.

[Slick Goodlin]

[quote author=Chuck Ellsworth link=topic=5271.msg13546#msg13546 date=1483419171]
Is it possible there was to much air in the fuel tanks?
[/quote]
Nailed it.


[quote]C-GHLI, a privately operated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft, was on a VFR flight from Camrose, AB (CEQ3) to Fort McMurray, AB (CYMM). During the descent through 3 000 feet ASL approximately 6 nautical miles South of CYMM, the RESERVOIR FUEL LOW warning light illuminated. The pilot completed the checklist for this emergency and informed ATC that the aircraft had an engine issue, however without declaring an emergency. The pilot continued to join the base leg for Runway 25 at CYMM. During the turn from base leg to final approach, the engine (Pratt & Whitney-Canada, PT6A-114A) lost power approximately 1 nautical mile from the runway. The pilot determined that the aircraft would not make the runway and elected to land on a service road east of the airport. ATC was notified and ARFF was dispatched to the area along with local Fire and EMS units. The aircraft landed in a field off airport property, approximately 1 400 feet South West of the threshold of Runway 25. The pilot and the three passengers exited the aircraft with no injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, however there was no post-crash fire. [/quote]

[David MacRay]

I find it hard to believe someone would go that far north without granny fuel, but I am a big scaredy cat. A granny I suppose.

[Colonel]

This is why two engines is safer

[img width=500 height=235]http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/ ... -15-71.jpg[/img]

[ScudRunner-d95]

So just to put some numbers out there

Camrose to YMM is 230nm
Caravan cruise speed is 160-170 Knots
Fuel Burn in a Caravan is about 400lbs per hour.

did I get all those right?
I never flew the plane, hitched a ride a few times in one and she flew like a giant 206.

[pdw]

A Van Pilot in Texas a while back on the Caravan Pilots forum, cruised 175mph with as low as 325lbs/hr; had a short Van no pod. 400lbs must be fairly close to maximum for those late model Grands that are fully equipped at max load ?