Previously, the only option would have been a potentially deadly controlled crash in the water.

"People are saying this was a controlled crash," Dr. Farquhar said.

He spotted it again just as it was about to touch down, moving fast enough that the landing would be little more than a controlled crash.

It was more of a controlled crash than a landing.

In such circumstances, the last 10 to 20 feet of a helicopter's landing is regarded as a controlled crash.

I have heard some pilots refer to these landings as a "controlled crash".

Daniel shouted, keeping his balance even though the driver reacted to the threat by landing in what was virtually a controlled crash.

The controlled crash didn't destroy the mother ship, nor did Emerson expect it to; that would have been too much to hope for.

Rather, he described the accident, based on television films he had seen, "as more of a controlled crash."

"It looked more like a controlled crash to me."