Aircraft Lost Its Propeller In Flight, Was Attempting To Land At Hilton Head Airport

A person jogging on the beach was killed Monday evening when he was struck by an airplane making an emergency landing at Hilton Head Island. Neither person in the airplane was injured in the incident.

Photos Submitted By ANN Reader Sean Kelly 

The aircraft, a Lancair IV-P, was enroute from Orlando Executive Airport in FL (KORL) to Norfolk, VA. It was flying over the Atlantic Ocean at about FL130 when the pilot, 62-year-old Edward Smith of Chesapeake, VA, notified ATC he was experiencing engine trouble. He was given vectors to Hilton Head Airport (KHXD), but the engine developed an oil leak, which covered the windshield with oil and severely limited visibility. The propeller subsequently came off the airplane. The pilot determined he would be unable to make the runway and decided to land on the beach.

Photos Submitted By ANN Reader Sean Kelly 

The Hilton Head newspaper Island Packet reports that the jogger, identified as Robert Gary Jones of Woodstock, GA, was listening to his iPod while running on the beach and likely did not hear the airplane landing behind him. The pilot and his passenger said the were unable to see Jones because of the oil covering the windshield.

Note Restricted  Visibility of Windshield

Arrangement were made for Smith and his passenger, who has not been identified, to stay in the area in order to speak with investigators. The Lancair, which is registered to Smith, was removed from the water by a crane, placed on a truck, and taken for inspection.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.faa.gov