If you're going to crash, a tree can be your friend.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/video/sma ... vp-AArMYee

I have had a cartwheel work out as well once, but on all the others finishing up wings level worked best. This also makes Dutch rolls at 45 degrees bank look like a good drill.

Wow that worked out, even left it parked neatly!

A tree isn't always your best bet.
This C182 jump plane ran out of gas on final--
cleared the tall bluff off the end of the runway
but then managed to hit the only tree in sight.
Tore the front of the airplane right off at the forward door posts.
The 2 occupants were busted up a bit, but the airplane was totaled.

I saw that on the news today.

Looked more like a miracle than a landing.

Glad it worked out so well.

Anyone know what the circumstances were that put the pilot in that position in the forst place?

I looked at Google Maps and found the parking lot right next and midway down the runway. Guessing it was a botched go around.

That looks pretty unique.

I was trained to aim between the big trees if you find yourself with no other choice than hitting them. Better to tear the wings off than go straight into a pointy immovable object. Rule of thumb, trees aren't safe landing places.

Trees have also killed a lot of pilots and passengers.

Wow that was some next level short field technique. Didn't even touch the brakes!

It looks like that pilot was very lucky that tree was strategically located at the exact spot where he lost complete control of his aircraft, and cushioned his fall. Had it not been there, it would have been a very violent impact in a nose down attitude.

It looks like it would have been smarter to put it into the first group of trees under control.

I realize we don't know all the details of what the pilot was dealing with, so we are all just armchair QB'ing it.

Jughead

To me it looks like a text book snap roll entry as he is passing the first tree.

The second tree saved their lives for sure.

The police report says Forst told them he took off from Robertson Airport earlier in the day, then flew to Simsbury Airport, then to Brainard Airport.

While flying back to Robertson Airport, Forst touched down on the runway, bounced several times and decided to lift the plane back up into the air to go around and try and land again, he told police.

However, he turned the plane took much, did not have enough speed and crashed, according to the police report.

That fellow should've bought a lottery ticket that day.....it was definitely his lucky day.

MTV

I understand what MTV is contending against always but since I have taught always landing as soft (power) and slow (elevator) as possible, my students have had zero go around problems that I know of. Being on short final and still so fast that a bounce can't be corrected in the runway space remaining is just too fast. Too much speed triggers too many go arounds. Having too much runway available has led to too much runway being used on a regular basis.

We don't have to always land as soft and as short as possible. That doesn't mean we shouldn't.

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contactflying wrote:.... Having too much runway available has led to too much runway being used on a regular basis.....

I agree. I've seen a number of light aircraft (usually a C172) go off the end of the runway at my home field.
Generally it's a renter from nearby Paine Field, who's used to landing on their 9000 ft runway,
who's not used to having to operate on a "short strip" like our 3000 footer.