Conversations between air traffic control and a pilot who was forced to make an emergency landing on Wednesday in a field near a Miramar elementary school show he was calm and confident that he could bring the plane down safely.
According to flightradar24.com, the Piper PA-28 took off from Perry Airport around 12:38 p.m. and had four minutes of flight time before landing in the field near Coconut Palms Elementary at 13601 Monarch Lakes Boulevard.
Engine failure forces emergency landing
The pilot explained to air traffic control that he needed to land because he was experiencing engine failure. Flightradar24.com shows he circled several times looking for a safe place to put it down.
“Would you be able to make it to the field (Perry Airport),” the air traffic controller asked.
“No, I don’t think we will be able to make it to the field. I’m just going to land right here,” the pilot replied.
And that’s what he did.
“The plane with a pilot and a student reported somewhere along the flight that there was some sort of problem with the engine and they landed safely in the school playground,” Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss said.
Moss said because the plane clipped the fence, it changed its path and avoided hitting any part of the school.
“The pilot did such an excellent job doing what he did and nobody got hurt. I just give thanks,” Paul Sculley, superintendent of Miramar Parks said.
Neither the pilot nor the student were injured.
