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(Updated) Navy Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing In Molino
July 20, 2011
(Updated 10:15 a.m.) A U.S. Navy training helicopter made an emergency landing in Molino Tuesday afternoon.
The helicopter, which was assigned to NAS Whiting field, landed in a field between Highway 97 and Bet Raines Road to the east of Highway 29.
“The pilot performed a precautionary emergency landing while on a routine training missing,” Lori Aprilliano, Whiting Field public affairs officer, said. “The pilot will see an indicator light showing a potential problem with the aircraft and put it down in the first safe place.”
There were no injuries reported. The training helicopter was removed from the field using a truck and trailer shortly after 4 p.m.
Pictured: A Navy training helicopter is removed from a field on Highway 97 in Molino Tuesday afternoon. Submitted photos by Keith Garrison for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
15 Responses to “(Updated) Navy Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing In Molino”
This was an exciting event for our grandchildren. The training pilot and 2 trainees were very cordial. They gave an informational tour of the helicopter and answered many questions. We invited them to sit under the shade of the trees by the pond. They took us up on it , enjoyed the pond, ducks, geese, guineas, peacocks, children (?) and dogs. However the breeze was the most important!
They had planned to be completed by 2 pm and were disappointed by the long
delay. The mechanic that picked up the helicopter and crew said that they were
very lucky that a filter light had come on which required a landing; because they were very near to having a fire. This is the 4th helicopter to land in our field in
the last 25 yrs.
To Candy..Great idea and sure neighbors could get a discount.
To Ben….Bennie doesn’t like heights! lol You know if the county had known about this, we would have had to get a permit!!!!!!!!! ANd now they know……..
The helo weighs 3200 lbs with a full bag of gas. And no, emergency landings are practiced at outlying fields (OLFs) or at Whiting and never to a random field. Long story short if they put in down in the field, it was for darn good reason.
Hey Bennie,
Demand they let you keep it since it landed on your property without your permission and then “we” could start a profitable business giving helicopter rides in Molino (closest neighbors get a discount, of course). LOL!!!
All jokes aside, I’m glad the pilot was not injured.
Mr. Bennie, did u get zoning passed for this kinda activity? Ha! Ha! ….. Only in Molino……As I drove by I observed several of you’ll sittin out by that pretty pond “Takin it easy”. I thought……..Mr. Bennie’s gotten his pilot license………
The helo had a warning light illuminated and the proceedure for that light is to land as soon as possible. Also that particular helo weighs about 3800 lbs….
When I was growing up, we lived in Pace, just off of Quintette Rd. These helicopters would land in a large cotton field by our house when there was a problem. It usually happened 2-3 times per summer. A few times we even had one land in our backyard! That was a treat.
Sometimes we would walk down the street and chat with the pilot. The problem was always minor, but a problem nonetheless. Never did it happen that a heli crash-landed, lost an engine, caught fire or anything else dramatic.
They are fairly lightweight compared to other, larger helicopters. It’s basically a Bell Jet Ranger, and the maximum allowable (fully loaded with fuel, pilots, etc.) weight is a little over 3,000 pounds.
@notagain: It’s clearly a Ford Super Duty: Look at the rims…. 1 ton or better
I;m just very glad everyone was ok.
Great save by our military!! Way to close to home. Thank goodness they didn’t land in the “Last Pirate’s” yard – they may have been shot at. It would be nice if the “lost” pirates would consider moving back to where they just came from because we don’t need pirates in Molino.
>>Was this precautionary landing a part of the pilots training or was there really something wrong with the helicoptor?
Think of it as the “check engine” light came on and they parked it, which was technically an emergency landing. It was not normal.
That sure is a nice pond in the background.
Was this precautionary landing a part of the pilots training or was there really something wrong with the helicoptor? This article can be interpreted both ways.
Those helicopters must be really lightweight. That just looks like a plain old Ford F-150 pulling a tandem axle trailer.
I’m glad they landed safely!!!