Emergency Landing on Highway 402

[DanJ]

http://www.am980.ca/channels/news/local ... ID=1738773

Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Hwy 402 Near Sarnia
AM980 News

7/14/2012

The 402 could sometimes use someone to direct traffic, but last night the busy highway needed an air traffic controller.

Lambton OPP say a plane made an emergency landing on the highway near Wyoming, just east of Sarnia.

Officers say it was around 9 p.m. when 62-year-old pilot Joseph Arseneau of Sudbury was flying with four of his family members in his Piper Lance small engine plane to Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport when the aircraft went into on-board electrical failure.

Police say without his instruments to help him, Arseneau circled continuously to find the airport, but without his signalling the runway lights wouldn't come on.

The OPP says it was around 10 p.m. that Arseneau was running low on fuel and was forced to make an emergency landing in the westbound lanes of the 402 between Oil Heritage Road and Mandaumin Road Exits.

Officers say Arseneau brought the plane down successfully, but even though they were on the ground the drama wasn't over yet.

Police say once the aircraft was on the roadway a passing van clipped the right wing tip. Police say the 40-year-old driver of the van, Elizabeth Goodall of Sarnia and her four passengers were not hurt. Arseneau and his family were also uninjured by the collision.

Officers say the van and the wing tip of the plane did sustain some damage.

OPP say the westbound lanes of the 402 were closed until the plane and the vehicle could be removed.

A picture from the scene shows the small plane sitting on the highway bathed in the glow of emergency vehicles' lights.

Transport Canada has now begun an investigation into what may have caused the on-board electrical failure in the aircraft.

[floatplanepilot]

Had something similar happen to me on a flight years ago, but I called a friend on my cellphone to drive to the airport and switch the emergency switch for the runway lights. 20 min in the circuit waiting.

[FlyGy]

Had something similar happen to me on a flight years ago, but I called a friend on my cellphone to drive to the airport and switch the emergency switch for the runway lights. 20 min in the circuit waiting.

He tried to as well.

More info

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2012 ... 86626.html

[lilflyboy262]

So was it an alternator failure and kept flying until the battery was dead? Or something a bit more complex?

[FlyGy]

Gee, sorry. I wasn't with him on this flight. I wouldn't know.

Why don't you phone Joe up and ask him? I'm sure he'd love to tell the tale.

http://www.canada411.ca/search/?stype=s ... ON&x=0&y=0

Alternatively, you could wait until the TSB completes their investigation and read the report.

[DanJ]

I'm kind of curious what he was near when the power went out, as there is still a bit of daylight at 9pm. The article almost makes it sound like he had the outage and tooled around the skies over Sarnia looking for the airport, but I'm sure if he was near Sarnia at 9, he would have been able to still see it. I wonder if he was following the shore line and thought he had enough time to make it to Sarnia in daylight? I wonder if he realized how close he was to the airport when he decided to land on the highway. Anyway, good job to him for managing a safe landing in the dark on the 402.

[Rookie50]

Not to back seat judge, but if you can afford to fly , you can afford a handheld com. You can also afford an iPad or similar with gps linked electronic charts, so you always know where you are. Better to know where you are at all times so you can dead reckon in a situation like this. Particularly at night away from home base, these items are not an option. Nor is having an hours fuel or board, preferably 90 minutes at night, but I'm conservative. Perhaps he did and flew around for an hour or more. Lucky for him it was not IMC. End of soapbox.

[FlyGy]

Wouldn't this be an appropriate time to fly the triangle? I thought that's what the manoeuvre was for. I've got an app for my cell phone that would make a decent nav backup in a situation like this, provided the battery is charged of course.

[Krimson]

Wouldn't this be an appropriate time to fly the triangle? I thought that's what the manoeuvre was for. I've got an app for my cell phone that would make a decent nav backup in a situation like this, provided the battery is charged of course.

Fly the triangle?

Nav backup, do you mean google maps for an approximate location, or an actual app that is intended for aviation? (Just out of curiosity...I wouldn't mind adding that to my phone)

[Rookie50]

Fore flight or something similar. Lots of them. I have it on both phone and tablet.

[FlyGy]

Wouldn't this be an appropriate time to fly the triangle? I thought that's what the manoeuvre was for. I've got an app for my cell phone that would make a decent nav backup in a situation like this, provided the battery is charged of course.

Fly the triangle?

Nav backup, do you mean google maps for an approximate location, or an actual app that is intended for aviation? (Just out of curiosity...I wouldn't mind adding that to my phone)

It's an aviation specific app/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... kpit&hl=en

The triangle is an aviation distress signal for an aircraft with no other means of communication. Fly 2 minutes, turn 120°, Fly 2 minutes, turn 120°,Fly 2 minutes, turn 120°. Repeat until someone notices and sends another plane up to help you.

[Krimson]

Ah. I would have not even thought of doing that. I don't think I was taught it either, just kind of mentioned. I believe it means different things depending on the direction flown as well?

With all the technology we have up there with us, it seems like theres always a method of communicating. I had a complete avionics failure one day, not a problem at all, looked up the emergency number in the cfs for the MF radio, told him what I was going to do and what time I would be overhead. Next day, went up with my headset plugged into a handheld and got a new radio installed the day after.

In the case of the original poster, I don't think the triangle would have helped him as he was running low on fuel. I wonder when it was last used.

[1000 HP]

I just kinda wondered why the woman in the van was passing an airplane on the highway? Sure he didn't have any lights on but wouldn't you think if a plane had landed on the highway in front of you it would be a good time to slow down? Maybe the lady needs an app too....

[DanJ]

The highway is only about 25 feet wide in each direction (2 lanes), plus gravel shoulders, and the median is also heavily treed in that stretch. Even if the pilot was right over on the left shoulder, he's going to be leaving a big chunk of that right wing hanging over the lanes. I'm thinking if someone is cruising along at a buck twenty on a dark highway, and all of a sudden there is an airplane sitting there in front of them, it's lucky the van didn't plow right into the plane, let alone clip it's wingtip, or worse, the driver swerves and rolls into the ditch.

I think there was a whole lot of luck all around. The pilot was lucky to be able to find the roadway in the dark. He's lucky he didn't catch one of the trees. There's also a couple of overpasses in that stretch, and also truck inspections stations on either side of the road with light standards along the right shoulders, which are only lit up if the scales are open. He's lucky it was only a van that came along then and not a truck passing another truck.

[Siddley Hawker]

Serious question, is ZR the only airport in that area?

[Bushav8er]

There is Windsor which is about 10 minutes, maybe, and would have had lights on and Chatham. I know they can be hard to spot sometimes but might this also be a case of GPS went off and no map out? 402 runs into Sarnia and 401 into Windsor? Still should have been some (sun) light at 9.

This sounds like a case of a systems problem and being unprepared, then flying in circles without a plan. Its a small area with (with 2 airports) 401/402, Lake Erie on one side, a river, and Lake St. Clair, and Lake Huron on the north. Sarnia airport is right beside 402.

Flame away but this sounded preventable. At least he didn't hit a wind turbine.

[Rookie50]

I Agree. This is not a difficult area to navigate with nothing more than a VFR chart and reasonable wx. Just climb a little if needed. Someone I did some training with lamented the fact that today's pilots can do nothing without following the little pink line on a gamin. situational awareness sucks out there in the ppl world.

I was almost offended but realized he was right and I had gotten too dependent on technology. So I went out and did 500 nm of flights at 1000 agl with nothing more than a vnc, compass and a watch. You know what, I got sharper, formed better habits and was always within 1/2 mile and 2 minutes on every leg. I don't do this on every flight... Some are too long and filed IFR, but I do know where I am.

Besides all that there is no reason not to have backup devices in the cockpit these days. Safe flying all, don't count on luck.

[FlyGy]

Ah. I would have not even thought of doing that. I don't think I was taught it either, just kind of mentioned. I believe it means different things depending on the direction flown as well?

In the case of the original poster, I don't think the triangle would have helped him as he was running low on fuel. I wonder when it was last used.

I don't think the direction matters. It was only touched on in my training as well, it would also require someone at ATC paying attention to see me doing that pattern and then find another plane to assist. I just figured, if Joe was flying circles anyway, maybe he should have flown a triangle instead.

Then, he did have a cell phone with him and was using it. IMHO, I would have called the nearest FSS or Tower rather than the police.

Personally, I enjoy flying with the VNC. It's kinda fun to be able to fly over a landmark and put my finger onto the chart and say, yup...there I am!!

[DanJ]

Serious question, is ZR the only airport in that area?

London and Windsor are about 60 miles, Chatham about 50 miles, and Grand Bend and Huron Park about 40 miles. Not knowing which route he would have taken from Sudbury, it's hard to say whether he came nearer to London. He wouldn't have come anywhere near Windsor or Chatham though. If he came on a relatively straight line down from Sudbury, across Georgian Bay and basically along Lake Huron coastline, then Grand Bend and Huron Park would have been the closest airports before getting to Sarnia. Of course, with Grand Bend, you have to be careful you go for the runway and not the drag strip, especially on a Friday night LOL.

There's a couple pictures of the plane at Sarnia airport at http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/0 ... ighway-402 showing the wingtip damage.

[Bushav8er]

Personally, I enjoy flying with the VNC. It's kinda fun to be able to fly over a landmark and put my finger onto the chart and say, yup...there I am!!

Agreed, but VNCs suck below 3000' where topos work better. Always check what you (not you personally) think is your location against more than 1 feature and see that everything lines-up.

[old_man]

I don't think the direction matters.

It does.

Receiver operating only - make right hand turns
Both receiver and transmitter not operating - make left hand turns

AIM 4.5 (c)

[FlyGy]

I don't think the direction matters.

It does.

Receiver operating only - make right hand turns
Both receiver and transmitter not operating - make left hand turns

AIM 4.5 (c)

Whoa, lookie that. Thanks Old Man.

[Rookie50]

Brings up a question. You're at 2000, along the lakeshore west of city center airport, need to make an emergency landing now. Can't make city centre or Burlington, or the 407. Where do land? You have maybe 2 minutes to decide or less. In the lake? Risk the qew? Or the best field you can find , likely not big enough there. For those not from here, this is the vfr routing through downtown TO.
2000 is a required altitude through here.


For me if in burlington, one of the north south roads. In oakville, might try lakeshore road depending on where exactly I was. Toronto - mississauga....ugh....no great choices....Maybe the lake and try to beach it.

[Doc]

Hey you guys....he landed safely...on HIS terms. Before he ran out of fuel! Keystone, take note here! He did GOOD!

[sidestick stirrer]

As with most breaking news from any media, the emphasis is on being the first to get the story out rather than to verify its accuracy.
For me, this report lost it's cred with the implication that he had four family members aboard with him.
Isn't that a four seater?
I suppose one could have been a babe-in-arms but why let the truth get in the way?