iPad-Turned-Navigation Device Guides Airplane To Gear-Up Landing | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-10.20.25

AirborneNextGen-
10.21.25

Airborne-Unlimited-10.22.25

Airborne-FltTraining-10.23.25

AirborneUnlimited-10.17.25

Sat, Feb 14, 2015

iPad-Turned-Navigation Device Guides Airplane To Gear-Up Landing

Pilot, Wife Use Tablet As Primary Nav Device Following Electrical Failure On Night Flight

A pilot and his wife on a night flight between Wyoming and Wisconsin in a 1959 PA-24-250 Comanche were forced to turn to their iPads for primary navigation after a complete electrical system failure on the airplane late last Saturday.

The pilot, who was not identified, and his wife flew some 80 miles at night until reaching Rapid City Regional Airport in South Dakota using only altitude, airspeed, and heading information from the devices. But because of the electrical failure, they were unable to notify the airport they were arriving ... or extend the landing gear.

Rapid City Firefighter and Aircraft Rescue specialist Jerry Lueras told Fox News that the two used the the tablets to identify a runway that was not often used at the airport, and made a gear-up landing. Both walked away with no injuries.

(Image provided by the Rapid City, SD Fire Department)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Advertisement

More News

Airborne-Flight Training 10.23.25: PanAm Back?, Spirit Cuts, Affordable Expo

Also: USAF Pilots, Advanced Aircrew Academy, ATC Hiring, Hop-A-Jet Sues Pan American is attempting a comeback. Aviation merchant bank AVi8 Air Capital, alongside Pan American Globa>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 10.23.25: PanAm Back?, Spirit Cuts, Affordable Expo

Also: USAF Pilots, Advanced Aircrew Academy, ATC Hiring, Hop-A-Jet Sues Pan American is attempting a comeback. Aviation merchant bank AVi8 Air Capital, alongside Pan American Globa>[...]

Airborne 10.22.25: Rez Takes Plane, DJI v US Drone Ban, HK 747 Cargo Accident

Also: DHS Under Fire, Air New Zealand, ALPA Praises Bipartisan Bill, Spirit Budget Cuts The Minnesota Pilots Association has issued an advisory regarding overflights of the Red Lak>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Portrait of the U.S. Transportation Safety Institute

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Beauty Amongst Ghastly Federal Agencies Founded in 1971 and based in Oklahoma City, the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) is a subsidiary of the U.>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (10.21.25): Flight Check

Flight Check A call sign prefix used by FAA aircraft engaged in flight inspection/certification of navigational aids and flight procedures. The word “recorded” may be a>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne 10.03.25: Phantom 3500 Buy, ‘Chinese Military Company’, NOTAM Redesign

Airborne Affordable Flyers 10.02.25: MOSAIC Start Date, AFE25 Tickets, ePulitzer

Airborne 10.01.25: New Gulfstream G300, Affordable Flying Expo Tkts, Starship 11

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC