VAN NUYS-- A light twin-engine Cessna with two people on board was experiencing problems with its landing gear, and had been burning off fuel in preparation for an emergency landing at Van Nuys airport, said the FAA.
FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the plane was originally scheduled for a landing in Camarillo today, but after a potentially dangerous partial nose gear deployment, the pilot decided to turn back.
Though nose gear malfunctions are potentially serious situations, burning off a planes fuel is normal safety procedure whenever aircrafts have to make unusual landings, Gregor stated.
At approximately 12:25PM, the Cessna made a successful, safe landing at Van Nuys Airport. Both people climbed out of the aircraft, unharmed.
That was excellent piloting skills!!! Very nice looking 1955 Cessna 310!!!
I like how the pilot turned over the left engine to get the props out of the way.
A friend of mine landed a Cessna 310 CF-SAS at Toronto Intl. with the CEO of Shell Canada in the back. It was raining lightly and he did his walk around in the hangar.
The plane had been scheduled for a heater replacement, after checking weather, he found a mechanic about to work on the plane. The mechanic said he hadn’t started yet, so he pulled the Cessna 310 out, hoped in and took off.
Turned out the mechanic had in fact taken the bolts off the nose wheel doors, as he took off, the nose wheel crushed the metal doors and became stuck. They flew around trying afew things, and finally came in for a landing.
Just like this Cessna in Van Nuys, he ended up stopped on a 200 foot wide runway at Toronto Intl., he said as soon as he stopped, he noted a ‘ant’ walking on the runway - and exclaimed, “Those people down there, look like ants!!!”, however the Shell CEO looked very ill and didn’t think it was too funny.
That turned out about as well as it could have. The pilot made a good landing for the situation, holding the nose wheel off the famous 16R as long as possible. I couldn’t tell - did the prop tips hit?
Didn’t appear to. Excellent situational awareness on the pilot’s part to bump the engines over while over the apron in order to ensure they would clear.
