While flying on an IFR flight plan last Thursday over NC, talking to RDU approach, I heard the following (more or less):
aircraft: "Mayday Mayday Mayday 360XS has experienced a total loss of power, the pump is broken and I'm going down" <I guess loss of oil pressure?>
controller: "Aircraft calling Mayday please repeat"
aircraft: "360XS has an engine failure and I'm going down, where is the nearest airport?"
another aircraft: "Allegiant XXX 130 for 10"
controller: "I want everyone on this frequency to be quiet. Break. 360XS the nearest airport is TTA. You are six miles north of the field."
aircraft: "Can you give me a heading?"
controller: "fly heading 200"
aircraft: "I'm at 2900 ft and think I can make it 360XS"
< minute or two later, after controller talked with trouble aircraft and urged new arrivals on frequency to stand by.>
aircraft: "360XS I'm not going to make it to TTA. What is the highway below me? I'm going to try and land there.
controller: "That's highway 1."
<that's the transmission I heard from that pilot>
Today I used the google machine to learn of the outcome. The pilot walked away, but he did impact one vehicle, causing debris to hit another.
https://wset.com/news/local/photos-airplane-crash-lands-on-north-carolina-highway-after-leaving-lynchburg-regional-airport-moncure-fire-department-chatham-county-flightaware-april-2024
Photos show a broken propeller blade. Maybe I misheard and the pilot actually said "...the prop is broken..."
This raises a question- in this situation is it ethical to land on a busy highway in the case of an engine out? Looking at google earth, there were not a lot of other options. According to the TV station reports, it everyone walked away, a fantastic outcome. But that was far from a guaranteed outcome given that it was 3:40 p.m. on a Thursday and there was traffic on the highway. Not sure that I would have done anything differently from what this pilot did. Is it ok to risk the lives of what are essentially uninvolved people to try and save your own?
My first experience hearing a Mayday call. It sure is attention getting.