Definition

Noun: An emergency aircraft landing that occurs outside of a normal schedule and is necessitated by circumstances beyond the pilot's control, such as mechanical failure or dangerous weather conditions. It implies a lack of safe alternatives to land at a planned airport.

Usage

The term "forced landing" is used specifically in aviation contexts to describe an unplanned, emergency landing. It is a technical term that distinguishes this type of landing from a routine or precautionary one.

Examples

• The pilot executed a forced landing in a field after the single engine failed.
• Severe icing conditions led to a forced landing on a remote highway.
• The investigation focused on the events leading up to the forced landing.

Advanced Usage

• "to make a forced landing": This is the standard verb collocation used to describe the action.
  • The crew was forced to make a forced landing on the water.

Variants and Related Words

• Emergency landing: A very close synonym, though it can be a broader category that includes landings initiated by the pilot for serious onboard issues (e.g., medical emergency), whereas a "forced landing" often emphasizes external compulsion.
• Ditching: A specific type of forced landing on water.
• Precautionary landing: A related but distinct term for a landing made by choice due to a potential problem, before it becomes an emergency forcing the landing.

Synonyms

• Emergency landing
• Crash landing (specifies a rough, damaging landing, which is often, but not always, the result of a forced landing)

Related Phrases

• "to be forced down": A phrasal verb meaning to be compelled to land.
  • The damaged aircraft was forced down in enemy territory.

Noun

1. an unscheduled airplane landing that is made under circumstances (engine failure or adverse weather) not under the pilot's control