F-16 Dead stick landing into Elizabeth City, N.C

[General Savage]

This is an amazing video of an F-16 pilot who loses his only engine at an altitude of less than 10,000 feet and makes an engine out landing at Elizabeth City Regional Airport (KECG) in Elizabeth City, N.C. which is approximately 7 miles away. In the video you will hear the military radio transmissions as well as the Elizabeth City airport tower. The voice of the F-16 pilot sounds calm but listen to his breathing.

Every airplane has a best glide ratio which a pilot slows to immediately after an engine failure. The glide ratio is based on the aircraft speed which will give the aircraft the maximum forward distance for every foot of altitude loss. Every pilot knows the best glide ratio of his aircraft and practices engine out procedures.

Because of the small wings of the F-16, it's glide ratio is may be 4 to 1 meaning the pilot doesn't have much time to decide the option of trying to land his airplane or bail out. Looking at the right side of the pilot's heads up display you will see a box that displays his altitude. Notice how fast his altitude bleeds off. The box on the left gives his airspeed.

The F-16 has an emergency generator (EPU) which powers the hydraulic and electrical for the F-16 in the event of an engine failure. The EPU is powered by a mixture of hydrazine and water. The hydrazine and water vapor coming off the EPU is highly toxic and hydrazine is a known carcinogen. You will hear the military controller talking about the ground personnel handling the hydrazine.

The pilot did a nice job of getting his $45 million dollar plane on the ground. He could have easily bailed out which could have injured people on the ground plus the cost of the airplane to us taxpayers.. The pilot is a patriot for handling the emergency and putting his plane on the ground.





http://www.patricksaviation.com/videos/SUPERGT/3384/








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[Pilot]

He keep cold blood and follow instruction in emergency landing so result is good!

[Coyote]

Cool under pressure.

[General Savage]

Some heavy breathing at the end.
In fact I was a bit surprised at the gliding capabilities of the F-16. Through ignorance I would have put them in the category of a house brick.
Less than 10000 and makes it to the strip 7 miles away.

[Pilot]

Not problem at all as well he keep airplane in dive and smaller angle and this keep him flying. Also he have obviously good speed before lost engine.

[General Savage]

Yes Pilot and that is a very good point when they talk about the physics of glide ratios.
The speed at the moment of engine stop. Well said. Why didn't I think of that?

[Carl Schwamberger]

A similar incident in 1987:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramada_Inn_Crash

Tragically Maj Teagarden's Corsair hit the ground a little short of the runway. Not quite enough energy to cover 15 miles & 31,000 feet.

I dont know if this next one is real or some sort of Wiki BS. If factual it suggests why you dont want to be hasty about departing your aircraft.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornfield_Bomber

& then there is the infamous story of the F15 landing without a wing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LveSc8Lp0ZE

[General Savage]

It was interesting to see the amount that the USAF had to pay in damages back then in 1987. Nine people killed and the Ramada Inn wrecked with the damages bill only $50,000. They couldn't have had greedy lawyers and over enthusiastic judges back then.
Today the award would have been in the millions.