• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Contact

Golf Hotel Whiskey

Golf Hotel Whiskey: for pilots and aviation enthusiasts

Pilot Lands on a NYC Beach Because “It happens all the time in Alaska!”

Hat tip to Mike Collins of the AOPA Pilot Blog for noting a bizarre incident where a 24-year-old pilot landed a Piper Archer on New York City’s Rockaway Beach – roughly three miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport. He told authorities after it happened that “It happens all the time in Alaska!” However, they were not amused.

Mike also pointed out that the pilot’s conversation with air traffic control was downright bizarre and the controller even did everything he could to discourage the beach landing (The pilot was careful not to declare an emergency). Meanwhile, the NY Post has reported that the pilot was later rushed to the hospital from his home.

The FAA is reportedly still looking into the incident and no word on what, if any, action they will take.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sylvia says

    April 11, 2011 at 09:14

    Unbelievable!

    Reply
  2. John says

    April 11, 2011 at 22:27

    NO WAY! NYC is a little more densely populated than Alaska. I hope there was no one on the beach, that would be scary.

    Reply
  3. Hani says

    April 12, 2011 at 19:11

    Veeery strange….

    Reply
  4. Steve Rudin says

    May 18, 2011 at 01:58

    I have flown a Piper Warrior, and an Archer, on the exact route this so called pilot flew,including taking off from Republic where I originally learned to fly. I always felt that I had to be as professional as possible when talking to the Kennedy controllers. And, in flying right near right the Class B airspace, I was very careful to navigate carefully. This was in the days before GPS and moving map displays in light aircraft. Like most private pilots, I worked hard to develop the skills necessary to fly this route in a safe manner. It was a great sight-seeing trip for passengers new to flying in light-planes, before 911

    The arrogance, and lack of professionalism of this so-called pilot makes my blood boil.

    Reply
    • Matthew Stibbe says

      May 18, 2011 at 06:10

      Couldn't agree more! Matthew

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Matthew Stibbe
Matthew Stibbe is CEO of Articulate Marketing and Turbine, the easy, online way to deal with office paperwork. He has an FAA CPL/IR and an EASA PPL/IR and sometimes flies a Cirrus SR-22. He also writes about wine at Vincarta and being a better manager at Geek Boss.
Bureaucracy must die eBook
Subscribe via RSS

Recent Posts

  • IATA Airport Abbreviations
  • Upcoming Concorde and Apollo documentaries
  • Lie Back And Think Of England: London To Austin On BA’s New 787 Dreamliner
  • Video: Parachuting from the edge of space
  • Hilarious preflight safety video for GA aircraft
  • San Francisco Airport at night – beautiful time lapse video
  • A practical jetpack (finally) takes off
  • A man in a hot air balloon realises he is lost
  • Pegasus House: The former HQ of the Bristol Aeroplane Company is restored
  • Vintage British aviation posters from the 1920-1930s

Copyright © 2023 Golf Hotel Whiskey. All rights reserved.