British pilot hits cow during emergency landing

[December 18, 2008]  LONDON (AP) -- A British pilot said he ran into an unusual hazard while making an emergency landing -- a cow. Rob Wotton said he was trying to land his World War II-era Tiger Moth after the engine stalled just after takeoff southwest of London on Sept. 14. He was about to touch down in a field when the animal wandered into his way.

Video of the event on YouTube shows the brown-and-white cow being knocked to the ground by the plane's lower left wing. The two-seater was damaged but landed safely.

An accident report said the cow was "apparently uninjured."

Wotton said he might paint a cow on the plane to mark the event.

He says: "I have to say it is the first cow I have ever hit in 22 years' flying."

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On the Net:

Accident report (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/4tlltn

[Associated Press]

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