Plane Collides with Car on Landing

Nforce

A small plane on a approach to a Texas airport collided with a car that ran a stop sign and veered onto its path Saturday afternoon.

The accident occurred at Northwest Regional Airport, on the northwest outskirts of Dallas. The wife of the student pilot flying the plan was shooting video of his approach – his first solo landing.

As the airplane approaches the runway threshold, a black SUV runs a stop sign and stops in front of the plane. The plane's landing gear was sheared off on impact, and the pilot was unhurt when his plane skidded to a stop.

Airport manager Glen Hyde rushed to the scene to see if anyone was hurt, and then got into an argument with the car occupants, Frank and Heather Laudo.

"Why did you pull out in front of an airplane is what I wanna know," Hyde asked, according to a tape reviewed by The Dallas Morning News.

"We didn't see it," Frank Laudo said.

"We didn't pull out in front of an airplane," Heather Laudo said.

"Yes you did," said Kandy Davis, wife of the pilot.

The student pilot, William Davis, 55, was only weeks away from completing the requirements for his private pilot's license. But the incident left him shaken, and he has decided to give up flying.

"Things like that make you reconsider what is important and what could have happened," Davis told WFAA. "I have a young daughter and a wife and they need me to be there to take care of them."

Video of the collision available on the following link..

http://autos.aol.com/article/plane-collides-with-car-on-approach-to-texas-runway/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl28%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D230016

Ken812

even without the car crossing the pilots path, the landing didn't look destined to be a good one!

maggy_thatcher

Ken812 wrote: »

even without the car crossing the pilots path, the landing didn't look destined to be a good one!

In fairness, it was his first solo landing. I'd cut him some slack for that.

Bill G

Ken812 wrote: »

even without the car crossing the pilots path, the landing didn't look destined to be a good one!

Yes, threshold for runway 17 is displaced 400 feet from the end of the runway, so he was much too low for that landing. But in fairness he didn't panic (assuming he saw the SUV) and pull up, if he had done that he probably would of stalled and died.

View Profile

Bill G wrote: »

Yes, threshold for runway 17 is displaced 400 feet from the end of the runway, so he was much too low for that landing. But in fairness he didn't panic (assuming he saw the SUV) and pull up, if he had done that he probably would of stalled and died.

Maybe he did panic a froze up. It would be hard for the pilot not to see the big black SUV on short final.

He should have executed a go around like all solo students are taught.

Luckily nobody was killed.

phonypony

View Profile wrote: »

Maybe he did panic a froze up. It would be hard for the pilot not to see the big black SUV on short final.

He should have executed a go around like all solo students are taught.

Luckily nobody was killed.

I'd say the lack of flaps and the higher nose attitude totally blocked his view of the car. Very lucky trio, another foot or two lower...

Xpro

View Profile wrote: »

Maybe he did panic a froze up. It would be hard for the pilot not to see the big black SUV on short final.

He should have executed a go around like all solo students are taught.

Luckily nobody was killed.

The pilot was obviously looking at the threshold infront, and infairness it would have been very hard to spot a moving vehicle coming from your right.
especially for a student trying his best to put the plane down. I dont think anyone looks out the side window just before they land.

Cork boy 55

What came first the road or the airstrip

it texas so it not a space issue is it.

bluecode

I don't think it's fair to blame the pilot, not only was he a student and thus very inexperienced. But any pilot is entitled to expect the undershoot to remain clear. Having a car appear at the crucial moment was pretty unlucky. Assuming he even saw it which I doubt having quite a few hours on 172s.

The car driver is clearly at fault and extremely lucky. But no doubt the people in the car will sue everyone in sight.

Bessarion

bluecode wrote: »

I don't think it's fair to blame the pilot, not only was he a student and thus very inexperienced. But any pilot is entitled to expect the undershoot to remain clear......

The car driver is clearly at fault and extremely lucky. But no doubt the people in the car will sue everyone in sight.

Watching the US TV news show.......the road is not owned by the airfield.It only has a STOP sign painted on the road. No traffic/crossing point lights.

jmayo

Ken812 wrote: »

even without the car crossing the pilots path, the landing didn't look destined to be a good one!

He was cutting it fine a bit alright, but it is crazy that the roadway is so close to the threshold and that there are no big stop warning signs. (for the cars that is)

If he didn't see it and suddenly the undercarriage gets sheared off it must have scared the cra* out of him.

Great ad for Volvo though and could see them trying to use the footage as another plus for their safety build quality.