Emergency Landing on an Interstate?
Asked by: SaratogaFlyer 2583 views General Aviation, Private Pilot
First some context. I own a 1980 Saratoga based in Ohio. I enjoy taking my family on weekend trips to the south (Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, etc.) I'm a VFR pilot and we fly direct (as much as possible) using the GNS 530.
However - the one part of the trip I hate is flying over the hills and mountains starting in West Virginia and ending in North Carolina. Being a single engine airplane, my worst nightmare is an engine failure with nothing but forested hills beneath me. We fly at 12,500 to increase our glide distance, but the airports are still too far apart.
Here is my question. Is it practical to fly along Interstate 77 through the mountainous portion of the trip? I know it wouldn't be ideal as an emergency landing site, and I understand there will be cars and traffic. However the alternatives aren't great either. Is this a good plan? Are there any other best practices for minimizing risk over the hills/mountains?
The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.