Students lands light aircraft at racecourse

The Rego is VH-LSN, a rego with an unlucky past.

The aircraft wasn't a Cessna at all, it was a Jabiru, although they look kinda similar

The 'pilot' mentioned on board was an instructor, who methinks did not sit on his hands and allow his low-hour charge to make an emergency landing to completion. That really would require nerves of steel.

The emergency landing was brilliantly executed, with an engine failure the aircraft was skilfully glided onto the racetrack without any fuss, in one piece, with occupants unscratched.

Here's where we deal with the rumours.

Rumour is the engine failure was caused by a catastrophic cylinder failure, possibly a valve hitting the top of a piston, and therefore out of the pilots hands.

Rumour has it the engine was only a couple of hundred hours old, well short of the two thousand hours the engine is certified for before overhaul.

Rumour is this is not unheard of in early model Jabiru engines with solid lifters, although not publicised as the type was previously regarded as an ultra-light, and only now can be registered as a general aviation aircraft, with the more stringent requirements and regulatory scruntiny.

Rumour is the instructor was fired by his employer upon arriving back at the flying school.

Rumour is the rest of the staff were also ordered out by the employer after protesting over the treatment of the instructor in question.

Of course, none of the above might be true. It's only a rumour.