News Release: Student Pilot Landing Incident on January 11, 2012

 

A landing incident occurred this afternoon shortly after 3:00pm when a training aircraft flown by a Private Pilot student departed the runway shortly after completing what witnesses describe as a “normal” landing.  Fortunately, there were no significant injuries to the student pilot, who was released from Langley Memorial Hospital a few hours later, following a precautionary medical examination.  The nose wheel and propeller of the training aircraft were damaged.

 

“The journey of a student pilot has many challenges,” says Chief Flying Instructor David Parry, “and we witnessed today what can occur during the more delicate phase of pilot training—when student begin flying aircraft on their own, without their Flight Instructor.”  Parry reports that this was the 5^th solo flight conducted by the student pilot.  Langley Flying School requires its students to conduct 3 hours of solo flying practicing takeoffs and landing prior to moving on to the second half of pilot training where students learn to navigate cross-country flights, learn to fly on instruments, and eventually prepare their pilot skills for their final Flight Tests.  “The event that occurred today can happen to any pilot,” says Parry. “For all of us, however,” adds Parry, “the attraction and commitment of being able to fly compels us to learn from our mistakes and carry on.”