Pilot Lands on Thruway after BOTH ENGINES FAIL in Icing Conditions!

[@VASAviation]

Didn't look like a good idea to fly through all that with that little unprotected BE95...

[@ace00007]

Should never had descended into that ice without trying to fly a better VFR diversion

[@idkjames]

Wonder if he tried Carb Héat? I know the 95 can be retro for FIKI as well. Obviously unsure about this one. See them up here in AK.

[@davefoord1259]

@@idkjames never seenna baron with carbys before

[@idkjames]

@davefoord1259 thought it was a travelair??? Also, some barons def would have carb heat. Depending on engine.

[@crazy10seven]

I believe he had induction icing

[@MeerkatADV]

At least he was smart enough initially to try to land immediately.

[@7_of_9]

Exactly!!! Soooo many pilots trying to land small planes or helicopters when they have just seconds to land or died

[@fredfred2363]

Totally. Good call by PIC. No injuries and AC is fine to fly another day.

[@tommaxwell429]

Smart enough to try to land but not smart enough not to take off!

[@flywithhuddy]

I live 10 minutes north of where he landed. The icing conditions came in suddenly as there was cars sliding on the thruway all morning. It's a feat that he landed safe and there were no injuries.

[@se2103]

Strange how that happens in the Winter(especially). 🥶

[@ScottScouter]

@@se2103 OK, you did 5th Grade HOW MANY TIME?

[@tommaxwell429]

All morning is not suddenly. He should have known better than to take off.

[@AEMoreira81]

Which is interesting because he could have had a road accident after landing. Instead, he coasted to a stop and pulled over...awaiting the tow back to the airport.

[@mipmipmipmipmip-v5x]

From the timestamps this happened in the afternoon? Either way likely ample time to check for weather, also considering it was in a cold winter region to start with.

[@donmoore7785]

Very smart to seek to get that craft on the ground - we can credit the pilot for that though he might have avoided the situation in the first place. And the plane is in one piece to boot (link to video of it rolling out below). Lesson learned.

[@tommaxwell429]

But not smart enough to not take off! What was he thinking? Clearly icing conditions and he wasn't prepared for it.

[@se2103]

@@donmoore7785 exactly, he quickly found himself at a fork in the road and chose quickly and wisely. We don’t know EXACTLY what information or what was available before takeoff.

[@LifesWorldwideAdventures]

Thank you for all the excellent content in 2024🙏Looking forward to more in 2024. Merry Christmas🎄

[@VASAviation]

Merry Christmas!

[@lyaneris]

I love that after 4:50 where ATC says the distance to the airport, he immediately switches to the distance for the highway. You never want to pressure a pilot to try for the airport.

[@dominicdahlheimer6861]

Three people have lots to be thankful for this Christmas season!

[@wayneroyal3137]

That audio literally made me tear up at the end! With all of the tragedies has been happening awesome decision-making with a great outcome even though it wasn’t one he probably wanted. Good work by all involved.

[@marcelb3645]

Awesome decisionmaking might be to stay on the ground with what looks like no anti icing (no boots to be seen) in this weather. However, that is one hell of a successful forced landing! Amazing job.

[@wayneroyal3137]

@@marcelb3645 totally agree with you if he knew there would be ice ahead. I do appreciate that he attempted to escape the poor weather.

[@EchoesReborn]

Wow! It's crazy that the managed to land on the freeway and stay intact..

[@cageordie]

Lucky this ended on the highway with no deaths instead of like the Bonanza who tried to divert in the same area and similar conditions recently which was fatal. Juan Brown reported on that. Kudos to these guys for making the decision to get on the ground right now... even if they didn't get there. Looks like he made it without damage. Lucky to be making it to Christmas this year.

[@mikek5298]

Why does the White Lily always have to be mentioned somewhere in this comment section?

[@ronfitzhenry3726]

I saw Juan video a couple days ago, that was tough one to listen to

[@marlinweekley51]

looking at foreflight yesterday that entire area had an airmen for severe icing. Induction icing? Lucky landing. Hopefully lessons learned.

[@ATCO3133]

This controller is amazing, very impressed. Cheers from a french ATCO ! TY VAS, merry christmas!

[@Mastadon-KD9GYI]

Love the good outcome for the pilot and pax, always a bonus when you can use the aircraft again after a forced landing. :)

[@secretchannel6232]

Loved the metar on the starting screen. Thanks VASA!!!

[@MeMe-gm9di]

Nice job also by ATC, immediately gave everything they wanted, and only gathered information after operative things were done. Also got an aircraft to relay when the airplane dipped below where they could reach it.

[@LiamsCarsandblocks]

Plus sounded like training was in progress. Quite the training session.

[@THELIFEOFPRICE]

Glad it all ended well! I like how the tower asked him if he shut down both engines after he landed... right after he just told them that he had lost both engines LOL

[@InSearchOfReality]

Maybe Tower was just doing an idiot check?

[@marcelb3645]

Just following procedure 😂

[@lyaneris]

Has more to do with fuel and ignition than the engines actually spinning

[@SAVI-444]

I would like to know the answer to two questions to learn from this experience: 1. Are his engines normally aspirated and if so, did he use Carb Heat when they shut down? 2. If the engines are the fuel injected version was he using alternate air while in icing conditions? It would be of great benefit for all of us to know for sure these facts to understand better the overall situation.

[@Veritas1992]

My first thought was induction icing of some sort. I’m not familiar with the Travel Air but some alternate air is automatic (spring loaded door opened by vacuum pressure) and others are manually opened.

[@dcviper985]

We'll likely have to wait for the NTSB report.

[@tommaxwell429]

@@dcviper985 Pilot Error - Flight into icing conditions without proper equipment.

[@josh3771]

Severe icing can overwhelm carb-heat, block intakes and ice over fuel vents lead to fuel starvation. That's before we get into the aerodynamic effects where you fall out of the sky! Take the statement "Flight into known icing is prohibited" seriously, icing is a killer and not forgiving.

[@piparalegal2019]

Merry Christmas, Victor, to you and yours!

[@jerryclayton4616]

I’m just guessing but if both engines shut down I’d suspect induction icing… great job handling the emergency situation…

[@Benis650]

wow...nice landing!

[@FreshTillDeath56]

Merry Christmas, Vic! Finallys, some good news!

[@gpslightlock1422]

Here I am clapping at the screen seeing that aircraft in pristine condition on the highway. Good work pilot. Best way to end a bad day flying.

[@cessna177flyer3]

Good work? My favorite aviation quote: “Superior pilots use their superior judgement to AVOID situations where they have to use their superior skills”. This pilot put himself, his passengers, motorists, and his plane at risk. Luckily it worked out. Not so sure that deserves praise.

[@HughLyon-Sack]

The landing spot was farther south than where you zoomed in. It was near the junction of I-87 and I-787, on the other side of the city of Albany from the airport.. The brick building you can see in the photos of the left side of the plane is the NY Thruway Authority headquarters, a prominent landmark on that part of the freeway. The road in that area makes a long curve, upping the difficulty factor for this landing.

[@greenne]

I came here to say this. The plane landed just south of the big curve on the south side of Albany on the i87 part of the Thruway, not where the graphic shows

[@komradebob]

To add to it, there is some video shot from a car that was behind him. He landed on a _bridge_ that is down in a hole over a long drop to the river and basically rolled up to the lawn to the NYS Thruway Administration building. Incredible bit of piloting.

[@michaelearlgrey]

Nice job guys! Enjoy your Christmas!

[@chrisg9627]

Really excellent ATC...... most impressed with these guys.

[@craig7350]

sure.. distract the pilot repeatedly asking souls on board at a critical point in the landing when it doesn't make any GD difference.

[@johnhutto71]

I'm amazed he was able to find space to land on the thruway. It's rather busy there.

[@CommomsenseSmith]

Quick thinking nice work!

[@trappedinkalifornee]

Nice job N61Q…….!👍🏼👍🏼

[@BreandanAnraoi]

Can people not just give Victor and Blancolirio a break for XMAS! 🎄

[@TheSoaringChannel]

GREAT JOB MAKING A *SAFE* OFF FIELD LANDING!

[@TimAyro]

Really good fast thinking from the pilot.

[@cessna177flyer3]

…which was necessary after he got himself into that situation.

[@elcastorgrande]

Victor, Felix Navidad! Thanks for great videos.

[@Trucking007]

Long nose peterbilt is nice.heavy hauler is probably say men this is the easy load I ever done 😂

[@jmistret419]

Bet that was an expensive tow bill. Glad all ok

[@bivinsbenner5719]

I wonder if he had to pay the thruway toll?

[@veritas6466]

From the moment any emergency is declared, that's the insurance company's plane!

[@44R0Ndin]

"Any landing you can walk away from" as they say. This time they can even reuse the aircraft, so that's a good landing, even if in the wrong place.

[@galdavonalgerri2101]

I wonder whether he got a parking ticket (Sir, you cannot park there)

[@dcviper985]

Well done by all involved.

[@johnl5525]

I guess the airplane is ok, no injuries, and three people need new underwear, pants, socks, shoes, and to buy some lotto tickets.

[@TimAlcoser]

The Christmas miracle story we all wanted.

[@gasaholic47]

I've traveled that area of the Thruway often. Depending on your direction, it's either just before, or after the merge to I-90. The road is pretty wide at that point.

[@jasonthomas8770]

That pilot needs to go buy a lottery ticket

[@1489mjwilson]

My home airport, was waiting for this video to come out.

[@SeekingAlfalfa]

I was four years old when a single engine plane had to land on the highway that was next to the house we lived in. I watched it and the wing hit a telephone pole and cartwheeled the plane. The pilot crawled out unhurt. As a four year old I had never seen an airplane crash, but thought it must just be a normal thing.

[@Dermochelys12]

Additional footage of 61Q rolling on the highway. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5KVXnV8jbybeLs

[@lharris428]

Yep dude landed it on a bridge.... or just before and brought it to a stop over the bridge. There was not flat field in area, except for a golf course about a half mile to the west. NY doesn't have smooth terrain all over. For the most part, just trees and buildings around.

[@JusticeSR71]

Good job man.... 👏

[@andybiz4273]

I live a little north of there, the pilot did a great job!

[@tommaxwell429]

How so! A great pilot would have stayed on the ground. Great pilots don't put themselves into these situations.

[@andybiz4273]

@@tommaxwell429 did you read up on the whole situation? Considering that he felt he couldn't make it back to the airport so he chose to land in the best possible place? Yeah, I think he did a great job. No deaths, no serious damage.

[@tommaxwell429]

@@andybiz4273 Yeah I read it and watched the video and listened. And the whole time I kept asking myself, "Why the heck did he even take off." Sorry, just can't get past that decision.

[@iPlaneFun]

ALB my home airport!

[@benoithudson7235]

Nice of him to take the exit off the highway.

[@2Phast4Rocket]

why do people think they can fly in this icing condition in a small airplane.

[@chrisschack9716]

Not sure why he thought it a good idea to go up in the first place, but once up, he had to come down somewhere.

[@zorro4962]

Wonder if that aircraft has alt air lever and what the emergency procedures are in those conditions. I bet since he reported to have to turn engines off at landing that he might have had ice build up.

[@arthousefilms]

Memo to self: Only fly light planes on clear days.

[@RaineStudio]

Trying to land on a highway and ATC _still_ insists on knowing "souls on board" at that very moment.

[@AN-12345]

Responders do need that info in case the plane does not land safely. It's not ideal, but they do need a number before the plane hits the ground in order to stage a potential rescue.

[@Rob2]

And also making sure that the engines have been shut down... Of course it is a good idea to shut down the engines when you have landed on a highway and potentially people will approach the plane, but wasn't the entire reason for the emergency landing that both the engines had failed??

[@chrisschack9716]

@@Rob2 Shut them down manually once you commit to the forced landing, a surprise restart could ruin your whole day even worse!

[@saintchuck9857]

Not insists, asks. The pilot answers, if possible.

[@craig7350]

@@AN-12345 .. no they don't. They can determine what response is required when they see what injuries there are, like in this case NONE.

[@lastdance2099]

Considering what happened with the last one, this is a happy result.

[@bad05ford]

Pilot commented in a Facebook group and said induction icing

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

Souls, always, to me, makes it sound presumptive they died.

[@vermontviking]

More than most activities, general avation has a great many people who have more money than common sense.

[@karoleenascottage]

Better decision than the pilot who crashed near Brooklyn from likely icing a few days ago. RIP to him and congrats to this pilot.

[@cessna177flyer3]

Then again, his decision to fly into those conditions and put himself, his passengers, motorists, and his plane at risk deserves to be questioned.

[@Molon_Labe1776]

Is atc hammering nails in the background?

[@michaelbennett22]

Both engines fail at the same time? How much fuel remaining? Just a moment before he stated there was no icing. And why aren't the props feathered?

[@dogmandan79]

Seems like this is occurring waaaay to often

[@MotSter]

What is a Thruway?

[@manifestgtr]

That’s what New York calls certain interstate highways

[@andybiz4273]

The Thruway is the paid toll highway, versus the other interstates that are just standard highways. The NYS Thruway is two highways: I-87 and I-90, and goes from outside NYC north to Albany, and west to Buffalo and towards Erie, PA.

[@mkkm945]

To add to @manifestgtr comment - this particular highway is i87 which starts in South Bronx NYC and ends on the Canada border south of Montreal where it becomes Canada/Quebec highway A15. It's one of the most important highways in NY State.

[@Bohemian-Rhapsody]

His pride stopped him from calling PAN PAN PAN and his poor training was the reason there was no MAYDAY when he had ample time to call it.

[@I-talk-about-tough-topics]

Beautiful. All's well that ends well.

[@Eltoca21]

How common or unusual is it to loose both engines at the same time? Any possible reasons why this may occur?

[@VASAviation]

Icing

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

@4:53 "61Q roger, and, ah, [grbld] is the closest airport to ya."

[@Erik-R]

Thanks for the video! Small correction on the map used: the aircraft landed about 11km (7 miles) south-east of the location displayed in the video. That building is the New York State Thruway Authority. Coordinates 42°37'38"N 73°46'43"W

[@francissager3133]

Agreed, the photos show a 65 MPH speed limit which is south of exit 24 on the Thruway part of I-87.

[@mgzuck]

@@francissager3133 Yeah, just south of Exit 23 (the I787 exit) I believe. Now did the pilot have EZ-Pass......

[@DeweyCheatumNHoweLLC]

@@mgzuck They got him with the plate reader. Bill is in the mail.

[@supraphonic88]

Lucky place to land too, they got highway crews out the door immediately.

[@francissager3133]

@@supraphonic88 can't do better than right in front of the NYS Thruway Authority's HQ. Highway maintenance workers are based right there. NYS Police Troop T is always near on the Thruway. Fire/EMS would take the longest.

[@davidedmundson8402]

I wonder if someone is wishing that he had the extra expense of the second engine back.

[@Mr_Plop1]

Christmas miracle

[@AlyssaM_InfoSec]

Terrible decision to go flying in those conditions. That was some pretty crappy weather rolling through the area and it was not a surprise to anyone. No deicing or anti-icing equipment on that aircraft, he never should have gone out on that day. Glad everyone came out of this unscathed.

[@lharris428]

@@sncy5303 Just tree's, no flat land in that area because of the Normans Kill.... Would have ripped the wings off stuffing into trees or crashed it into development outside of the city or the city itself or into a side of a hill. In fact he landed it on a bridge on I-87 as there is a video of him rilling to a stop as he comes of the bridge. Maybe if he had enough energy he could have landed on the golf course half mile to the west, but I doubt that. This is where he put it down maps.app.goo.gl/coPoftJX3bVXK4jr8

[@camward9293]

@@sncy5303 I mean, it's Albany. Like, right over the city. He wasn't exactly in the countryside when the engines failed, he was 4-ish miles from the airport. His base leg took him right over downtown. There's literally nowhere to put it down except on a road. You've got Latham to the east, Roessleville to the south, and the Mohawk River to the north. To the west there's a bunch of developments and forest, no fields, at least not when he lost his engines.

[@billstevens3796]

@sncy5303 And which field would that be exactly ?

[@mikek5298]

@@sncy5303Spoken like a true know-it-all that has never piloted anything but his couch.

[@markmaki4460]

Maybe drivers are becoming conditioned to keep an eye out for forced landings of aircraft as part of their defensive driving routine.

[@jaysmith1408]

And i thought the 95 was a King Air.

[@PlasticAstronaut]

“Gray Rider” call signs = military?

[@hownekin3755]

It could be New York State Police. They are known as State Troopers.

[@komradebob]

NYS SP and other state aircraft (when they have them) are GREY1 through N. The State Police Aviation Unit flys them. They have a few Bell helicopters and at least one King Air that the Governor gets to use on official duties.

[@ChicagoMel23]

Should use something like highway for the title…not everyone know what thruway means

[@tentacle218]

Is it so painful to learn new things?

[@Clint_rules]

Thankful everyone was safe but why the constant souls and fuel questions in an emergency. Now, not in this case, but usually the controllers don't pass it on to the next controller is also frustrating as hell. Understandably when it's an airline and they've lost an engine but a small craft and they've lost both engines? Quit asking. They have more pressing concerns.

[@Dr_piFrog]

Good piloting.

[@VASAviation]

Poor planning

[@Dr_piFrog]

@@VASAviation May be, but good job on landing with no injuries nor property damage.

[@fhuber7507]

Probably carb icing.

[@jdkgcp]

Both engines failed? So he ran out of fuel is all that means and he was trying to blame it on "icing". Stupid mistake, obvious is obvious. You don't need to work for the NTSB to figure this one out.

[@kaini3275]

Safely landed the plane, and then they break it hauling it off the road like that :(((

[@Patty-qy8qh]

Somebody behind was recording right after the landing kzbin.infoia2-BFXWhBY

[@jonesygw]

Good job! Now, the investigation on the engines begins.

[@JonBrase]

Dual engine failure in icing conditions is almost certainly carb icing.

[@marlinweekley51]

@@jonesygw or induction ice. Was it carbureted or injected?

[@r4raced4doom2]

​@@marlinweekley51 should be injected. So induction icing for sure. Wonder if he pulled the alternate air levers?

[@craig7350]

controllers should STFU and not distract the pilot when he's making a critical landing

[@B1RD_DOG]

Induction icing or fuel starvation.

[@44R0Ndin]

My bet's on icing.

[@alexstrazza4068]

He got himself into that situation by flying into icing, but was smart enough to get out of it and fly it to the ground!

[@tbd6]

Juan said it just yesterday, if both engines fail at the same time, it's most likely fuel starvation. Nice landing, though!

[@VASAviation]

I still think it's ice related. Probably clogged with ice.

[@TDOBrandano]

Piston engines, so it could well be carb icing. The flight plan was for another destination, and they decided to divert and cut the trip short, so fuel starvation seems unlikely? Unless it was a matter of selecting the wrong tank.

[@2Phast4Rocket]

He had plenty of fuel onboard.

[@weekendflyer3673]

Exceptions to Juan’s rule. Low power descent allows ice to build up. Won’t notice until you try to add power. This is why it’s a good idea to ‘clear’ the engines every 1000 feet or so. You’re not clearing them, you’re testing for ice buildup so there is enough time to respond.

[@dopiaza2006]

@@weekendflyer3673 Was going to say exactly the same thing. I learnt on a PA28 20 years ago and during my PPL checkride we have some noticeable carb icing on descent. If I wasn't on checkride I may have forgotten to occasionally power up/carb heat to clear any ice. Wouldnt have been nice if it'd been during a flare...

[@amorporchile2958]

Well Done

[@billfly2186]

ITS A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! Good job Captain.

[@ChitwoodMitwood]

It was a miracle he went up in that weather.

[@_Tommmmmm_]

People making really stupid decisions.

[@saker6121]

Hopefully Juan doesn't swear

[@robertyoung8289]

"Where going down in the Hudson" ! 😢

[@pavelavietor1]

Feliz Navidad Iberians ❤

[@TomSherwood-z5l]

New York and icing seems to be a thing recently.

[@jimw1615]

It's winter up here in the Northern latitudes. This is nothing new.

[@jetfrostgaming]

Dual engine failure hm. Fuel starvation, fuel contamination maybe?

[@Lonaticus]

Reckon the first and he lied about his reason to divert.

[@f3nd13y]

induction icing on an aircraft not approved in icing conditions flying through moderate icing conditions

[@kellyem33]

Clear case of ice building up against the air filter, called induction icing. People think because they have fuel injected engine and that they won’t develop carburetor ice, but that doesn’t mean they won’t clog up with ice and stop running. He did not select alternate air, which is the fuel injected equivalent of carburetor heat

[@erika8357]

Carburetor icing? Shouldn't kill both engines exactly at the same time though.. Nice landing anyway 😀 On second thought; if both engines had accumulated ice in the throttles, both could theoretically die immediately when power is adjusted during descent.. I used to fly a C172 with fuel injected Continental engine and yes it was susceptible to icing in the throttle althought it had no actual carburetor. I didn't encounter it myself but some other pilots claimed they did..

[@kellyem33]

@ yeah that’s a good point. I mean it’s possible but unlikely. If they both failed exactly the same moment that that’s fuel exhaustion or mismanagement

[@TheNatestEver]

Good job pilot!

[@Fil-Leotardo]

Turn the engine volume down in the beginning. Are you deaf?

[@VASAviation]

But who transcribed the ATC audio then?

[@hufartd]

ATC needs stop the stoner voice trailing the last half of sentences like he’s been told he can’t breathe in. Seriously bud quit it.

[@hscollier]

Landing on a roadway putting the lives of innocent people at risk. Selfish and dangerous choice.

[@Vike29]

I guess you missed the part about lost both engines. For a 19 yr old pilot I'd say he's glad you weren't his flight instructor........as were the two 50+ year old occupants who are about to celebrate xmas vs being in a box. Now go ahead and tell me where he should have landed. I've only lived here for the past 54 years so I know the area better than you I'd say.

[@DouglasCarnall]

He got caught out by the weather. We can debate his prudence, but once in the situation, he dealt with it well. Good support from ATC, I thought

[@whiskeymonk4085]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being White.

[@ChicagoMel23]

No one said there was. And Idk why that stuff gets capitalized. It’s just colors not names

[@whiskeymonk4085]

@ChicagoMel23 There's absolutely nothing wrong with being White.

[@plsniper]

Lucky? Good? Both? Thank God. Merry Christmas.