Michigan rookie pilot pulls off emergency landing after wheel comes off in flight

**Teh One Who Knocks** · 03-31-2023, 11:48 AM

By Sarah Rumpf | Fox News

A 21-year-old rookie pilot was given a helpful hand from an experienced pilot after she was told that her landing gear was missing. The older pilot assisted the younger landing the small aircraft safely-despite it missing its front wheel.

The dramatic incident was caught on camera as 21-year-old Taylor Hash safely landed a two-seat, single-engine Diamond DA20-C1 aircraft at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, Michigan on March 24.

"Pre-flight the aircraft was normal, I checked that everything was good, did an exterior check and everything looked great," Hash told FOX 2. "I got in the plane, started the engine up, called on the radio and asked for clearance to taxi to the runway. Everything was perfectly fine."

Chris Yates, an experienced pilot from California, saw that aircraft Hash was flying solo was missing landing gear and immediately called radioed air traffic control, who in turn radioed Hash.

"Diamond 8 Charlie you lost your front nose gear tire on rotation and that’s definitely how it appears out the window," the operator is heard telling her.

Another voice interjects in the radio, Yates calming walks the inexperienced pilot through the necessary steps for her to land safely.

"Taylor this is Chris, my daughter's name is Taylor, and I taught her to fly," Yates said over the radio. "We’re gonna be just fine kiddo."

Through the radio Yates gave Hash instructions on how to land the plane without that front wheel, all while asking her questions and cheering her on.

"I’m going about 67 knots right now," she said on the radio.

"Perfect, hold it, you look good, you’re doing great kiddo," Yates said over the radio.

"Those couple minutes were intense - my most important landing to date was that one and probably will be my most important landing ever," Hash recalled.

"That’s it kid, nice job, the nose is gonna come down, you’re ok, you’re ok, talk to me kid, proud of you," he said over the radio.

"Just having someone to have a conversation with me, and not be so official with the aviation language - it was just calming. It was perfect and just what I needed in that moment," Hash told FOX 2 following the stressful landing.

With the help of her new guardian angel, Hash safely landed the aircraft on the landing strip and lived to tell the tale of landing a plane without the front wheel.

Hash told FOX 2 that she feels a flood of emotion whenever she listens back on the radio recording with Yates.

"When I go back and listen to it, I cry. It was an emotional day to say the least," Hash said.

When asked if she still wants to continue flying, Hash did not hesitate, sharing that, "I'm meant to do this."

"Yes 100 percent," she said. "I tell everyone, when I was in the air, through all that, I told myself I’m done, this is it. I'm not doing this again. But as soon as I got on the ground and I realized everything was okay, and I was okay, I realized, you know I'm meant to do this."

The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.