Rough Field Landings

wrote in message
ups.com...
Here I am with the big stick again. I can't recall anyone discussing
rough area landings or hostile terrain landings in a long time. For
example, forced to land (no matter the reason-you supply one) and you

trees and water? Hmmmm, how about on city streets?

That's the one I think about a lot, where I am in the megalopolis known as
the Northeast corridor.

Highways? Nearly always too crowded for my tastes. Last thing I want to do
is cause an accident on the ground. For my money the big parking lots seem
like the best bet. Malls, office parks, warehouses, there's almost always
one nearby. Most of the traffic isn't moving and good chance you'll get at
least 300' or so before you have to decide what you want to hit first, and
by then my 172 will hopefully be going slowly enough to make it survivable.
If it's a weekend the office parks and warehouses will be pretty empty so
your odds improve a bit and some of them offer 500+ feet of free run and may
even allow saving the airplane, though I've conditioned myself to not think
of that.

What I do wrong is not be so prepared for what happens afterward. 90% of the
time I figure someone on the ground will see me come down and I won't be
outside too long before help shows up, but 10% of the time it might be quite
different. Just walking ten minutes from my house to Dunkin' Donuts this AM
I was freezing my butt off, and wearing the same clothes I typically fly in.

-cwk.