Emergency Landing On Pompano Beach Street Splits Plane In Two
POMPANO BEACH (CBSMiami) - A student pilot and flying instructor are lucky to be alive after the small plane they were flying was forced to make an emergency landing on a Pompano Beach street.
The Broward Sheriff's Office says two people were on-board the single engine Cessna when the engine reportedly lost power and died.
As the men prepared to land at the Pompano Beach Air Park, the plane hit a palm tree and a pole, broke apart and ended up in the intersection of NE 5th Avenue and NE 10th Street. It's just feet from the Pompano Beach Air Park and a short distance from nearby homes.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue Spokesperson Sandra King said everyone was surprised the men suffered hardly a scratch -- even firefighters.
"When fire rescue members arrived they said they were shocked because of the state of the plane and the fact these two individuals were walking," King told reporters.
Carlos Silva and his family live near the intersection. His wife, Isabel said she fears a crash every day.
"When I'm home I'm so scared because sometimes (the planes) make a lot of noise," she said.
Chris Mullon lives across from the Silva's. He said in 35 years he's never seen a crash on this side of the Air Park and added that the planes do not fly directly over his home. He's just happy no one was seriously injured.
"Any landing like that is a good one when you think about it , as long as you survive," Mullon told CBS4's Carey Codd.
The fact the men survived with only a cut to the hand of the student pilot amazed onlookers and first responders.
"This was their lucky day," King said. "Not only were they in a student instruction situation but apparently they handled it well. They landed the plane well and no one got hurt. That's incredible."
Both men were taken to North Broward Medical Center to be checked out.
The FAA is investigating the crash.
