Lesson learned: Successful emergency or safety landing – and then?

The weather forecasts promise another beautiful January day for the lowlands, albeit with fog. But the base is just high enough to make my planned flight possible. I do the flight planning and prepare my small single-seater in the “homebuilt” (experimental) category for the flight, check the engine’s oil level, tire pressure and everything that goes with it.

Flight as planned…

The short flight goes without any significant difficulties, visibility is good, but the stratus clouds are low and the flight takes place at low altitude. After 30 minutes of flying, the EFIS indicates that I need to change the tank. I follow the command, flip the small lever from the left to the right wing tank and continue flying.

Engine Failure: Emergency landing on a field

About two minutes later, the engine suddenly loses power and then finally falls completely silent. The emergency controls quickly show that the fuel selector switch is not set to the right tank, but has fallen into the OFF position, which is located between the LEFT and RIGHT positions. In a flash, I switch the fuel selector switch to its correct position. But very quickly I realize that the low altitude is not enough to restart the engine. So I concentrate on the inevitable landing in the field.

The wind is light to non-existent, the area is favorable because it offers a choice of roads, fields and paths. About 40 seconds after turning off the engine, I am able to touch down on a deserted farm track. Fortunately, the road is slightly wider than the wheelbase of the main landing gear, so I was able to land the plane without damage.

Lessons learned:

The event still haunts me today. Looking back, there are three important lessons learned for me:

1. The greater the pilot experience and routine, the greater the dangers associated with a possible complacency.

2. After an action, whether it’s a mechanical or electrical switch, either a reaction must be observed (e.g. switch on electric pump = pressure increases), or, as in this case, a visual check of the blind action performed must follow.

3. The last point is not known to many people, which makes it all the more important: there are legal requirements for an emergency or precautionary landing outside of an airfield. Simply taking off and flying home can be punishable.

Takeoff after an emergency landing*

An emergency landing is one that is performed in an emergency situation. This means that a pilot does not have a free choice of whether or not to land. Whether it is for technical or health reasons, a landing at the planned airport or alternate is impossible. The risk of losing control is too great, which is why the aircraft must be landed immediately. If an emergency landing is successful and the aircraft is undamaged, the local police must be informed and a permit obtained from the aviation police authority (BAZL) before taking off, in accordance with the Aviation Act (see LFG Art. 17).

Take-off after a precautionary landing*

In the case of a precautionary landing, on the other hand, the PIC has more alternatives and also more time to choose a suitable landing site. This is the main difference between a precautionary landing and an emergency landing. A precautionary landing may be necessary for a variety of reasons, including a loss of orientation, a bee in the cockpit, an impending fuel shortage or an unforeseen change in the weather. In such a case, a precautionary landing is carried out outside of an airfield in accordance with the Foreign Landings Ordinance (AuLaV), Art. 22. And in contrast to an emergency landing, a take-off is permitted here in accordance with AuLaV, Art. 1 Para. 2.

Emergency and precautionary landing: important take-off preparations

To ensure that a take-off after an emergency or precautionary landing can be carried out without any problems, it is recommended that you prepare thoroughly for the take-off (runway, take-off distance calculation, etc.) and that you seek the help of third parties or, if necessary, the police.

* Applies to Switzerland. Legal regulations may vary from country to country.