Small plane crashes in Wellington, FL

Mike Wise

Mike Wise

#NewSchool
Sad to hear about this so close to home. :/

http://www.local10.com/news/small-plane-crashes-in-wellington/24524534

pic-wellington-plane.jpg
 
More info: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/plane-crashes-in-wellington-canal/ndRRY/

One person is dead after a small plane crashed in the water near the Wellington dog park in the 2900 block of Greenbriar Blvd., according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Albert Borroto.

At 12:55 p.m., crews responded to reports of a small plane crash, according to Borroto. Witnesses say rescuers pulled a body from the cockpit.

The crash happened near the end of the runway at the private Wellington Aero Club. Kathleen Bergen, an FAA spokeswoman, said the pilot was practicing landings and takeoffs, what pilots call "touch and gos."


Bergen said the pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft. She it was a Sonex homebuilt sport aircraft, which falls into the experimental category.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Click to expand...
 
Rest in peace... Interesting that plane is so intact though. Anybody know if it rolled into the water or if they pulled it closer to shore?
 
Ayork62493 said:
Rest in peace... Interesting that plane is so intact though. Anybody know if it rolled into the water or if they pulled it closer to shore?
Click to expand...

Good question.

More info from the story, looks like the pilot also flew 777's for AA.


PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - A National Transportation Safety Board team is expected to come to Wellington to investigate a plane that crashed Monday afternoon, killing its pilot, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Tuesday morning, the plane still sat in the lake off Greenbriar Boulevard.

Witnesses described the plane as moving wildly through the are before crashing into the water.

The identity of the pilot killed in the crash has not been released.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies are keeping guard over the aircraft until the NTSB team arrives.

Rescue crews said when units arrived at the crash, they found the aircraft partially submerged in a lake, and one person dead inside the cockpit.

The crash scene is near the Wellington Aero Club and Wellington Dog Park.

Some nearby residents said they head several loud popping noises as if dynamite was exploding.

To Greg Franklin the noises sounded like fireworks: "I see him doing a loop, he came down and came up this way and went straight into the lake but he was up there playin' around." He said, "The motor was popping and I just heard it hit and the motor exploded when it hit the water."

Friends of the victim say he has worked for American Airlines for over two decades flying their biggest airliner – the Boeing 777. They also say he was a former Marine helicopter pilot.

They say he had thousands and thousands of hours of flying experience. At least one person thinks he might have been the most experienced pilot in the Wellington Aero Club and was very well liked in the community.

"He knew his experimental airplane and he has been working on it for the last couple of months. He was happy to get in it today and take it for a ride and he thought he had everything working well and apparently something went wrong. We think it was the engine," friend and neighbor Larry Smith said.

Friends are convinced there was a mechanical problem.

"This is not a common occurrence. Something must have gone wrong if a pilot that experienced with that many years has this happen. Something had to fatally go wrong," friend Steven Daigi said.


Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region...aircraft-accident-in-wellington#ixzz2th5lAo3z
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top