A small plane made a dramatic emergency landing in Bartlett on Saturday morning, touching down in a field at the northwest corner of West Bartlett Road and Naperville Road. First responders evaluated both the pilot and a co-pilot at the scene, and no injuries were reported. The disabled aircraft was later moved to a nearby fire station while federal agencies were notified.
Bartlett Fire Chief William Gabrenya told responders the pilot had been inbound to Schaumburg Regional Airport when a mechanical problem forced him to pick the field around 10:45 a.m. Gabrenya said the pilot "only had about 20 seconds to make a decision" before landing. Both occupants were checked at the scene and were uninjured. The chief said the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified and the aircraft was taken to a fire station to await investigators, according to CBS Chicago.
Inbound to Schaumburg Regional Airport
Schaumburg Regional Airport (FAA: 06C) is a public general-aviation field operated by the Village of Schaumburg and commonly used by flight schools and private pilots. The airport sits roughly 22 miles northwest of downtown Chicago and handles local suburban traffic, according to the Village of Schaumburg.
Why pilots pick fields in an emergency
Pilots who face sudden mechanical failures are trained to pick the safest available terrain and set up an approach that accounts for wind, obstacles and field size. The federal Airplane Flying Handbook spells out forced-landing techniques and highlights how crucial terrain selection and approach planning become when time is short, according to the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook.
What investigators will look at next
The Bartlett Fire Chief said federal regulators were notified immediately after the landing. The National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates civil aviation accidents and issues safety recommendations, maintains public dockets and outlines the steps investigators typically take when reviewing on-scene evidence and crew statements, according to the NTSB.
