Harrison Ford makes Forced Landing in his PT-22

[Steve Nelson]

Since it appears he's gonna be OK, I'll ask..did they take his copilot to the hospital or the vet?

Great bit of airmnaship. Get well soon, you scruffy-looking nerf herder!

SN

[Triplane102]

Good to hear he's going to be O.k, he had stop by Pacific Fighters not too long ago & sat in P-51B Berlin Express. I think a pic or 2 of him sitting in B.E is in the P.Fighters Idaho FaceBook page .(?)

[tom d. friedman]

I too was going to quote that above post regarding golf courses / doctors. very witty!!

[daviemax]

He did a great job getting it on the ground right side up and surviving. Hundreds of people since WW II have been killed in stall/ spin accidents with the PT-22. It also drops like a stone when the engine isn't running. I checked out in one about 15 years ago. Great fun to fly and very balanced controls. I tried landing using less and less power and it has a terrifying sink rate, maybe 1500 to 2000 fpm, if you lost the engine and prop was windmilling.

Wow, that is scary. One wonders why an aircraft with this characteristic would be considered to be a "primary" trainer. Sure makes my Piper Archer seem benign. . . .

[DH82EH]

A trainer that is too docile, is not really that great of a trainer.
I learned to fly Cessnas, like many.
I learned to fly tailwheel, and then the Tiger Moth.
The Tiger teaches, or rather demands, speed control, control co-ordination, energy management and the importance of planning the usage of space on the ground. Correct control usage during taxiing, in any kind of wind, is a must.
An aircraft that forgives many of these things does not teach as much.
I don't know the peculiarities of the PT-22, but I imagine the same principals apply.

The RCAF selected the Beech Musketeer as their primary trainer in the early 1970's, to replace the Chipmunk. They were rejected a few short years later, for being too docile.

Andy

[quemerford]

The RCAF selected the Beech Musketeer as their primary trainer in the early 1970's, to replace the Chipmunk. They were rejected a few short years later, for being too docile.

Andy

A similar criticism was directed at the Sopwith Pup.

[CoastieJohn]

I watched some amateur footage of the plane. It had what I thought was a pretty steep angle of descent as it was coming in.

[p51]

Great feat of piloting skills, landing on the only peice of level ground anywhere, without killing himself, destroying the plane and best of all, not hurting anyone on the ground.
Han Solo would be proud!

[JohnB]

The RCAF selected the Beech Musketeer as their primary trainer in the early 1970's, to replace the Chipmunk. They were rejected a few short years later, for being too docile.
Andy

The RCAF used them from 1971-92....more than just a few years.
Sadly upon retirement, they were scrapped or used as maintenance trainers/statics. They figured after 21 years, their structure was too far gone for them to be put onto then civil market.

Still, if I had a Musketeer, it would be a neat paint scheme.

[Matt Gunsch]

He did a great job getting it on the ground right side up and surviving. Hundreds of people since WW II have been killed in stall/ spin accidents with the PT-22. It also drops like a stone when the engine isn't running. I checked out in one about 15 years ago. Great fun to fly and very balanced controls. I tried landing using less and less power and it has a terrifying sink rate, maybe 1500 to 2000 fpm, if you lost the engine and prop was windmilling.

Among those killed in a PT-22, Jim Orton from the AZ Wing of the CAF and Jim Maloney from Planes of Fame in Orton's PT-22, they went down north of Falcon Field. Both were highly experienced warbird and air race pilots.

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviat ... f85650d7ef

Last edited by Matt Gunsch on Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[L-4Pilot]

This is the best flight report I have read on the aircraft and is accurate. Much more agile than a Sterman but has high drag and heavy wing loading. The sweptback wing may or not have been done to correct the CG but it will most definitely fly different with a solo pilot as most lighter tandem aircraft do. To me the PT-17 was ponderous and not especially delightful to fly.

http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepPT-22.html

[Pogo]

Crash was at Penmar Golf Course, about four blocks from our house on Ashland, down the hill. The golf course is at the end of the runway...

Thanks for that on-the-spot report*, very interesting. I'm not much into Hollywood celebs, but it's always great to hear when a guy turns out to be quite the airman in a pinch. I'm on somewhat intimate terms with another PT-22, and it pains me to see this bird banged up. But it's nuthin', it can be fixed. Best wishes to Mr. Ford for a speedy recovery, and back flying soon!

*I love these kinds of reports from WIXers, because we all know how reporting of aviation matters goes with mainstream sources.

[Steve Nelson]

Quick question from a non-pilot: I presume Mr. Ford was the only person on board..is the PT-22 soloed (no pun intended) from the back seat like other tandem trainers, or the front?

SN

[DH82EH]

Flown solo from the rear seat.
May the forced landing be with you!

Andy

[Triplane102]

Nice little airplane. I got a chance to fly in the front seat of one a while back, real neat! Until a near Head on with a Buzzard/Hawk got the old adrenals flowing !! . BTW, The Next INSIDE EDiTION (TV show) previewed "What's It Like to Fly A VINTAGE WARBIRD !" Check your local listings for day & time.