Golfer Dodges Skidding Arrow After Forced Landing

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Key Takeaways:

  • A Piper Arrow aircraft made a forced landing on Haggins Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento after experiencing engine failure shortly after takeoff.
  • The pilot suffered only a minor hand cut, and no one on the ground was injured, with the plane narrowly missing a golfer.
  • The aircraft was a total loss ("write-off"), and the golf course, specifically the practice green, sustained significant damage.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmUvZu10m3I

There were no injuries but it will be awhile before the practice green at Haggins Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, California, is back in play after a Piper Arrow made a forced landing on the course. The pilot reported an engine failure on takeoff from Sacramento McClellan Airport on Sunday at about 700 feet. He tried to get back to the runway but ended up on the golf course. It landed on a fairway before crossing a road and the practice green and coming to rest against the pro shop. It missed a golfer on the edge of the green by about 50 feet.

The pilot suffered a cut to his hand and walked away from the crash. The plane is a write-off, and there are large gouges in the turf where the plane slewed sideways before the gear collapsed. The aircraft was a 1977 Turbo Arrow III with registration N135DG. It’s registered to a company in Reno, Nevada.

Russ Niles

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.
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