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Private pilot in an M20J suffers engine problem. Bay approach suggests pao as one emergency airport. Reporter unable to establish radio contact with tower, performs an emergency off airport landing. Wonders why runway was not clear of opposite direction traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 361076 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199702 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pao |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak tower : pao tower : cle |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 J (201) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other landing other other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 558 flight time type : 299 |
| ASRS Report | 361076 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
At the end of usual weekend pleasure flight between monterey and golden gate bridge, I flew over from halfmoon bay to between san carlos and palo alto, made contact with bay approach 135.65, reported engine trouble between highway 280 and highway 101, bay approach gave me a choice either san carlos or palo alto, I chose palo alto because it was in sight, bay approach advised me to use runway 12 and gave me tower frequency. Tower was too busy for me to talk to for 2 mins, I was close enough to read 12 on the runway. There was an airplane taking off in opposite direction, one other airplane on the taxiway, it was impossible to land anywhere, I still had altitude nearly, 1300 ft. I made a 360 degrees to the right, by the time runway was lined up runway was clear but I was too low to get to the runway, I landed right side up with landing gear down on the marsh north side of a little creek, there is 60 ft track of 3 landing gears on the mud. Bay approach 135.65 had 2-2 1/2 mins, before I got to pao and found out the runway was not cleared for my troubled airplane to land, to communicate with pao tower. Why was pao runway 12 not cleared?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT IN AN M20J SUFFERS ENG PROB. BAY APCH SUGGESTS PAO AS ONE EMER ARPT. RPTR UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR, PERFORMS AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG. WONDERS WHY RWY WAS NOT CLR OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.
Narrative: AT THE END OF USUAL WEEKEND PLEASURE FLT BTWN MONTEREY AND GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, I FLEW OVER FROM HALFMOON BAY TO BTWN SAN CARLOS AND PALO ALTO, MADE CONTACT WITH BAY APCH 135.65, RPTED ENG TROUBLE BTWN HWY 280 AND HWY 101, BAY APCH GAVE ME A CHOICE EITHER SAN CARLOS OR PALO ALTO, I CHOSE PALO ALTO BECAUSE IT WAS IN SIGHT, BAY APCH ADVISED ME TO USE RWY 12 AND GAVE ME TWR FREQ. TWR WAS TOO BUSY FOR ME TO TALK TO FOR 2 MINS, I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO READ 12 ON THE RWY. THERE WAS AN AIRPLANE TAKING OFF IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, ONE OTHER AIRPLANE ON THE TXWY, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LAND ANYWHERE, I STILL HAD ALT NEARLY, 1300 FT. I MADE A 360 DEGS TO THE R, BY THE TIME RWY WAS LINED UP RWY WAS CLR BUT I WAS TOO LOW TO GET TO THE RWY, I LANDED RIGHT SIDE UP WITH LNDG GEAR DOWN ON THE MARSH N SIDE OF A LITTLE CREEK, THERE IS 60 FT TRACK OF 3 LNDG GEARS ON THE MUD. BAY APCH 135.65 HAD 2-2 1/2 MINS, BEFORE I GOT TO PAO AND FOUND OUT THE RWY WAS NOT CLRED FOR MY TROUBLED AIRPLANE TO LAND, TO COMMUNICATE WITH PAO TWR. WHY WAS PAO RWY 12 NOT CLRED?
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.