Plane Goes Down In Everglades Swamp
A Pitts S-2 (file
photo, right) crashed into the Everglades swamp Wednesday, but the
pilot and his passenger were able to escape and swim to safety,
Palm Beach County (FL) deputies said. The cause of the 3:20 p.m.
crash in the federal wildlife area west of Palm Beach County's
populated area was not immediately known. Flying the 1991
Pitts was Dave Swartz, 56, of Plantation (FL). His passenger was
Eric Simons, 31, of Delray Beach (FL).
Initial reports indicate the aircraft departed the Fort
Lauderdale Executive Airport and flew over a portion of the
Northeastern Everglades to practice aerobatic maneuvers. Sometime
later, the pilot reported the need to make an emergency landing in
a dike near a local highway. The plane went into the water there,
but the two men were able to open the plane's canopy and swim the
10 to 20 feet to the nearby shore. Neither was injured although
both received some bruises and scratches, police officials
said.
The accident should remind us all to constantly search for
emergency landing sites during our enroute and local flying
operations. Initially, it seems the pilot of this Pitts stayed
close to the highway and never ventured too far over the
unforgiving swamp, which is a common practice for flight operations
in the South Florida area.
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Report created 3/4/2004 Record
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IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 61PS
Make/Model: PTS2 Description: S-2
SPECIAL
Date: 03/03/2004 Time: 2014
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury:
None Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Minor
LOCATION
City: BOCA
RATON
State: FL Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT REPORTED THAT HE WOULD BE MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING
ON A DYKE
NORTHWEST OF THE BEND IN THE SAWGRASS EXPWY. OTHER
CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
UNKNOWN. NO REPORTED INJURIES AND MINOR DAMAGE. BOCA
RATON, FL
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: 1953Z 10013KT 10SM FEW033 26/17
A3023
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase:
Landing Operation: General
Aviation
Departed: FORT LAUDERDALE,
FL Dep Date:
03/03/2004 Dep. Time: 1855
Destination: FORT LAUDERDALE,FLFX
Flt Plan: UNK
Wx Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: NW OF BEND IN SAWGRASS EXPWY
Last Clearance: CLRD FOR TAKEOFF
FAA FSDO: FT LAUDERDALE, FL
(SO17)
Entry date: 03/04/2004