A Sun Country Boeing 737 pilot and controllers helped the pilot of a Cessna 172 get herself and her two passengers safely on the ground near Galesburg, Illinois, after the engine quit. In ATC recordings captured by FlightRadar24, the airliner acted as a relay to St. Louis ATC, which had the 172 on radar and was able to track it to the ground. The Sun Country pilot offered words of advice and encouragement, although the suggestion to pull the carb heat on didn’t work to get the engine going. Other crews on the frequency also followed the drama as it unfolded. The 172 landed in a field and there were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries.
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“We’re gonna be in the Hudson”
vs.
“We’re gonna be in the Soyfield”
What an exciting year for Aviation!
Teamwork! FYI, turn on carb heat at the first sign of engine trouble. If you wait too long there won’t be enough heat to melt the ice if that’s the problem.
I still remember carb ice on my first solo X/C over 40 years ago. MSletten speaketh the truth. I was almost too late on the carb heat…. 🙀
As the slight decrease in rpm is (hopefully) noticed, apply full carb heat and leave it on for at least one full minute (60 seconds, count them if necessary). I.ve also noted a slight increase in EGT as the carb ice builds. If it’s just plain old water in the carb float bowl…well then why wasn’t it drained out before becoming airborne? Engines need oil as well and oil temp might be an indication that things are not quite well (goes for injected engines as well). Almost lastly is the poor, forgotten air filter that just don’t get no respect until things go south. Probably not covered in snow this episode. If you could take off the plugs were probably O.K. but then it’s possible one of the mags went on holiday. What’s left to worry about?
Well, how about a 4 inch diameter hole in the crank case. Happened early last winter in my soaring club Birddog. Only other damage was to our bank account.
Probably not St. Louis Center, as there is no such animal. Minor nit.
In Galesburg it’s St. Louis Approach.