it has landed on the garage roof

[EngLearner]

John launches his toy plane, and it lands on the roof of a garage. He notices that there's a tree growing nearby the garage. He starts climbing that tree so he can get on top of the garage and get his plane. Bob notices John climbing the tree, comes up to him and says: "Why are you climbing that tree?". To which John replies with one of the sentences below.

1. I launched my plane, it flew over the field, then bumped into this tree and has landed on the garage roof. Could you please help me get it from there?

2. I launched my plane, it flew over the field and has landed on the garage roof. Could you please help me get it from there?

3. I launched my plane, and it has landed on the garage roof. Could you please help me get it from there?

Should the "has" in bold be included in the above sentences? I'm wondering about both British and American English. Thanks in advance.

 

[5jj]

I launched my plane. It flew over the field and landed on the garage roof. Could you please help me get it (from there)?

I think the past simple is more naturel - we have three past-time actions.

 

[Tarheel]

Perhaps:

He was flying his toy plane, and it landed on the roof of a garage after hitting a tree.

 

[Barque]

To which John replies with one of the sentences below.

I think they're all too wordy.

My model plane has landed on the garage roof. I'm trying to get it down.

 

[5jj]

I think they're all too wordy.

But there is little wrong with the English.

 

[Barque]

I don't think this part is grammatical/correctly punctuated in the first two sentences.

I launched my plane, it flew over the field ...

The third is fine.

 

[5jj]

I don't think this part is grammatical/correctly punctuated in the first two sentences.

That's why I corrected it in post #2.

 

[EngLearner]

Before creating this thread, I asked a British English speaker about sentence #3, and he gave me this advice:

3. I launched my plane, and it has landed on the garage roof. Could you please help me get it from there?

Use the past tense for "launch". The present perfect sounds far better to me for "land", if the plane is still on the garage roof (the present effect of a past action). If you have already retrieved the plane, use the past tense.

Would you agree that in the case of sentence #3 "has landed" is better than "landed", or would you still prefer the simple past "landed" to the present perfect "has landed"? Thanks in advance.

 

[Barque]

Would you agree that in the case of sentence #3 "has landed" is better than "landed"

Yes.

 

[5jj]

I don't think either is 'better'. Both are correct and natural.

 

[EngLearner]

I think in American English only the simple past "landed" would be natural in sentence #3:

I launched my plane, and it landed on the garage roof. Could you please help me get it from there?

Could an American English speaker confirm that, please? Thanks in advance.

 

[Skrej]

As an AmE speaker, the simple past does sound natural,, but I disagree it's the only natural option. Like 5jj, I find both the simple past and present perfect natural and acceptable. However, in this case I'd personally stick to the simple past since the first verb (launched) is already in the simple past.

Generally you should avoid tense shifts unless there's good reason or need to shift, at least in writing.