He's 72; broke a couple bones but will fully recover. He's strong and he's tough. He has other admirable qualities too.
He owns several planes and a few helicopters, pilots them all and is quite skilled at it. Living in Jackson WY, he has even been involved in local SAR efforts using his own copter (do I have a concussion or is Han Solo flying this copter?).
His last Indiana Jones movie was shameful (Crystal Skull)... best we ignore that one. But I liked him in Cowboys and Aliens, a rather cute story line, a romp.
On takeoff, ALL the power of the engine is required to obtain flight (often 120% of the power used for maintaining cruise). It's also a transitional period from ground craft to aircraft and requires some skill. His engine quit, just after liftoff, he made an emergency call that he was "immediate return" (tower talk for oh crap! Lookout!), clipped a tree while making an emergency landing into the golf course.
[The other touchy time in flying is landing, the reverse transition back to land craft. For a plane this size, if the 'fan' quits, there is a gliding range of about a mile for every thousand feet of elevation (AGL), but turning costs altitude. Helicopters have "auto-rotation, which is a fancy phrase for controlled crash, glide angle like a rock.]
Having seen that there are also streets, houses and presumably people in them in the immediate area AND that he put it down in the safest place (other than the airport, now unreachable)... he did a damned fine job of piloting. Besides, being a golf course, on a Thursday, where else would one find a doctor?
I hope he can fix the plane, it's (was) a beaut. Once he heals, I'd fly with him anywhere, anytime. He's THAT good.
Rick
Please visit lafd.org/news for updated information...
An approximate 70 year-old male was hurt Thursday after his vintage plane crashed on a golf course in Venice California.
Just before 2:30 PM on March 5, 2015, Los Angeles and Santa Monica Firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls regarding an aircraft down at the 1200 block of Rose Avenue.
Firefighters arrived on-scene to find a single-engine aircraft that suffered a medium to high impact crash landing on the grass at Penmar Golf Course near Santa Monica airport.
The pilot and solo occupant was found conscious and breathing after Doctors who were playing golf assisted the patient from the wreckage.
Firefighter Paramedics rendered immediate medical aid to the patient on scene and provided further care while transporting him to a local hospital for his moderate injuries. Simultaneously additional firefighters set up a protection hose-line and ensured any leaking fuel would not erupt into flames.
Fortunately, no one else was injured.The cause of the crash is under active investigation by the NTSB who is taking the lead, along with the FAA. Officials will remain on-scene over night and into tomorrow.
Dispatched Units - LAFD: BC4 E263 E43 E62 E63 E67 EM9 HR56 RA62 RA63 T63 UR88, SMFD: E5 RA5 E3 E4 HAZ-MAT 4 T1 RA1 BC1
Photo available for use. Credit: LAFD Peter Sanders.--
Respectfully,
"Serving with Courage, Integrity and Pride"Public Service Officer
Emergency Public Information (EPI) Center
Los Angeles Fire Department
500 East Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
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