Air Grassland Flight 37

Air Grassland Flight 37 was a CRJ700 jet, registered GR-CJE, that executed a forced landing on a motorway in County Usuwi after suffering a bird strike and losing thrust on both engine on 1st May, 2002.

At the time of the accident, the Air Grassland aircraft was flying from Grassland City Airport to Usuwi Airport. all passengers and crew survived.

Flight
The flight crew consisted of Captain George May age 45, a highly experienced pilot with 14,373 flight hours (including 2,302 hours on the CRJ700), and first officer Lúkas Mellerzam, age 48, who had 5,444 flight hours (including 383 hours on the CRJ700). The crew was advised of the presence of bird migration along their general route prior to their departure from Grassland City, but they were not subsequently told that the flocks had since formed a line. The flight crew had flown through that same area from Usuwi earlier in the day, encountering only small flocks of birds a couple miles away.

The bird amount had greatly intensified in the meantime. The peak activity was later shown on ground radar to be near (The)dusat, Outer Grassland City, to which the flight was cleared to proceed by air traffic control.

As the aircraft descended from its cruise altitude of 17,000 feet (5,200 m) to 14,000 feet (4,300 m) near (The)Dusat VOR, it apparently entered an area where bird migration and encountered a massive amount of birds. The birds broke the aircraft's windshield, and, both CF34-8C1 turbofan engines were damaged and underwent flameout.

The crew attempted unsuccessfully to restart the engines, gliding down unpowered while simultaneously trying to find an emergency landing field within range. Air traffic control suggested (The)dusat East Airfield, about 20 miles (32 km) east, as a possible landing site but it was beyond reach. Didue Airport, a general aviation airport about 15 miles (24 km) north with a much shorter runway intended for light aircraft was considered, but it was behind the aircraft and now out of reach. Before the aircraft turned toward Dusat, the closest airport was another general aviation airport, Herray Airport, but the air traffic controllers did not know about it (it was just outside their area of responsibility) and it was not considered.

As the aircraft ran out of altitude and options, gliding with a broken windshield and no engine power, the crew made visual contact with the ground and spotted a straight section of the M1 motorway below. They executed an unpowered forced landing on that road, but during the rollout the aircraft collided with an ARDA gas station and other buildings, but all of the passengers and crew survived. No one on the ground was killed either. This accident later became known in Grasslandic as "De Mirkael un Die Muterwerken" (an approximate translation would be "The Miracle on the Motorway")

CVR (black box) Recording
CAP: There are some birds to the right.

FO: Oh yeah, you're right.

CAP: Oh no they're coming quick!

Loud bangs in the background, presumably the bird strikes*

CAP: Oh *expletive* the left engi- bot- WHAT THE #? Both engines have failed!

FO: You could declare an emergency.

CAP (to ATC) : Mayday Mayday Mayday, this is Grassland Commuter 37, we had a bird strike, both engines have flamed out, we need to land now.

ATC: Grassland Commuter 37, you have Dusat 20 miles to the east, I believe you can land there.

CAP: Should we land now or... (ask if he has other airports in sight?)

CAP (to ATC): This is Grassland Commuter 37, Do you have any other fields in sight?

ATC: Grassland Commuter 37, another airport we have on the map is Didue, and it is closer, but it is behind you and with engine failure, it is probably out of reach.

CAP: Ok so I guess Dusat?

ATC: Yeah.

(a couple of minutes pass)

FO: Oh I don't think we'll make it

CAP: Yeah, I think you're right.

CAP: This is Grassland Commuter 37, I don't think we will make Dusat.

ATC: Yeah, you are descending quickly.

CAP: I do have a road in sight.

FO: I believe that is the M1.

CAP: This is Grassland Commuter 37, we have a road in sight, We believe it's the M1 and we are turning towards it.

ATC: Grassland Commuter 37, I guess you can land, around this time the road isn't that busy so it won't really be a problem.

CAP: Roger that.

(All the rest of the messages are inside the cockpit only.)

CAP: Ok, line up...

GPWS: 1000

(One minute later)

GPWS: 200

GPWS: Whoop Whoop Pull up!

GPWS: Too low, terrain.

CAP: Oh no!

GPWS: 100

GPWS: Sink Rate!

FO: Brace! Brace Brace!

Aircraft impacts the ground*

FO: LOOK TO YOUR LEFT THERE'S A PETROL STATION!

* End of recording*