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Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing In McDavid Saturday Morning
October 2, 2021
A small plane with one person on board safely made an emergency landing in McDavid Saturday morning.
The pilot of a 2002 model Vans Aircraft RV-4 kit single engine plane reported an in-flight emergency shortly before 9 a.m. According to tracking information, the experimental aircraft departed Peter Prince Airport in Milton about 8:05 a.m.. The pilot had been flying back and forth between Walnut Hill and Atmore when he declared a fuel system emergency and headed back toward Bratt and in the direction of Milton.
The pilot made the emergency landing at a private grass airstrip officially known as the Collier/Pine Barren Airport on South Pine Barren Road just south of Rodeo Lane. He was not injured, and there was no damage to the plane.
The pilot was able to correct his fuel system problem and continue safely back to Milton.
Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to look for the aircraft after the emergency was reported to the FAA.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
12 Responses to “Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing In McDavid Saturday Morning”
I’ve heard that thing on the front is a big fan to keep the pilot cool. When it stops, you can actually see the pilot start sweating.
Those small engine planes are just plain scary to me. It seems like they just stop running in mid-air. I will never forget when I was living in Pensacola on Johnson Ave. I had just walked in from my back yard, and then suddenly I heard a huge explosion. I was so scared of what had happened & wondered if a bomb or something had went off. I looked out of the back door and saw people running from the apartments behind mine, some with just a towel around them and then I saw the wreakage of a small plane, crashed into the apartment just behind mine. As it turned out, the plane had two executives from the Gulf Power Electric Company on board, and both of them lost their lives. It was a horrifying scene. I remember the newswoman from Channel 3 News came in to use my bathroom, getting ready to report live on TV. The whole day was surreal. I don’t think that I would ever ride in one of those little planes. Passengers should have to wear a parachute, just in case the plane’s engine just cuts off, for any reason at all.
In response to the CAP question, no, Civil Air Patrol was not dispatched to the scene. However, a former CAP plane believed to be used as a trainer at Pensacola Aviation Center was in the area and came to take a look. He made a few circles around the place and determined the RV4 was safe before moving on.
Back to the issue of fuel supply, this aerobatic airplane is meant to spend time sideways and upside down, further complicating the system.
Most aircraft have 2 or more fuel tanks, 2 fuel lines per tank and selector valves. It is possible to have a lot of fuel on board, though not in the engine. A kinked fuel line or contamination adds to the tension. When the engine shows signs of distress and then gets quiet, the pilot has a lot on his mind and a number of things must be attended to before coming to earth. These would include looking for a safe place to land ( or at least a best option), contacting TRACON, if you have a radio, and then figuring out why the engine is so quiet.
Fuel selector valves are often located down near the pilot’s feet and not necessarily easy to read the position labels. With enough time in type, the pilot “just knows”. If a fuel selector is turned to a good supply, it then takes time for the fuel to get to the carburetor. If the prop is turning (windmilling), the engine should restart. If the prop is not windmilling, the starter needs to be engaged. Aircraft starting systems are notoriously unreliable.
Long story short, if the engine stops and you don’t have a lot of altitude (=time) worry about landing the plane and telling somebody where you are.
Precautionary and emergency landings at Pine Barren have included a Grumman Tiger with a bad carb, a Huey flight of National Guardsmen with a warning light, a Cub low on fuel, a Navy Jet Ranger with a windshield impact, a PA22 Piper with a bad magneto and the RV4. No injuries and several good flying stories.
A number of years back I spotted a Beechcraft Bonanza flying south, low along US29, trying to beat a thunderstorm. 2 minutes later the family aboard all died in a smoking hole after flying into the thunderstorm. They could have landed at Pine Barren, too. Private airports are normally private, but always a welcome place when things go wrong.
“Is that a fancy way of saying he put some gas in the tank.”
No. It’s not.
“The pilot was able to correct his fuel system problem…”
Is that a fancy way of saying he put some gas in the tank.
“I wonder if US civil air patrol was sent to search since they sometimes get sent on missions like that”
No. He was never missing.
That historic old pilot’s axiom rings true…”any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.”
I wonder if US civil air patrol was sent to search since they sometimes get sent on missions like that
Good to read about a happy ending to something that could have went bad real quick.
And yes, that looks like a cool ride.
This why I appericate North Escambia…..
They give a more human side to life little problems……..
That looks like a fun plane to fly in. I hope Neil helped him. Regardless, he gave him a place to land.
David for Colliers