Men and Dog Survive Plane Crash TAS

[Guest Fred Bear]

December 27, 2006 04:32pm

 

Article from: AAP

 

TWO men and a dog escaped uninjured today when their light aircraft made an emergency landing in northern Tasmania.

 

The aircraft had electrical problems and landed at Launceston Airport at 3.15pm (AEDT), a Tasmania Police spokesman said.

 

"Luckily, they have got down safely and without trauma," he said.

 

The main runway at the airport was expected to remain closed until later this afternoon, the spokesman said.

 

 

[Wilfred]

must be the dogs

 

Pilot, Dog OK After Aerocomp Ditches Near Merritt Island

 

Tue, 26 Dec '06

 

Newly-Built Plane's Engine Quit Near Airport

 

A pilot completing one of the final test flights of his newly-built Aerocomp 7SL turboprop wound up going for a swim last week, after the plane suffered an engine failure near the Merritt Island (FL) Airport.

 

 

 

 

 

"I was over the houses on the other side of Sykes Creek, so I put the airplane into glide and tried to slow it as much as I could," pilot William Lara told Florida Today.

 

Lara built the plane (file photo of type, above) at the airport. The Montana emergency medicine physician was in town to finish his required flight training when the incident occurred December 21.

 

When the engine quit, Lara said he kept the wings level and placed his dachshund, Sara, behind the front passenger seat to protect the dog from impact forces. He also wedged the door open.

 

About 20 seconds after the engine quit, Lara says the plane touched down in Newfound Harbor at around 65 mph. He compared the experience to "getting hit with a 70 mile-per-hour baseball bat."

 

With Sara around his neck, Lara says he swam about 150 yards before a nearby boater came to their rescue.

 

Lara credited the plane's four-point seat restraints for keeping in him place during the rough water landing.

 

"Had I been knocked out, I would have drowned. Everybody should wear seat beats. They're lifesavers," he said.

 

Lara was treated at the scene for neck strain, and two cuts on his legs. Sara is doing fine.