Emergency landing caught on tape

[oldBastard]

Emergency landing caught on tape

WINTER HAVEN - As a flight instructor, Kyle Davis teaches his students how to make emergency landings. On Sunday, he got put to the test.

"I was incredibly lucky," Davis told FOX 13. "It was a whole bunch of luck and a little bit of experience."

Davis, and his passenger, a professional videographer, left Gilbert Field in Winter Haven around 10:30 a.m. They were on their way to the Sun 'N Fun Fly in, a 15-minute flight.

Since so many other planes were flying there as well, Davis's passenger told FOX 13 that they thought "it would be cool" to video their trip.

Just minutes after taking off, the engine conked out. Davis got it going again, then it stopped a second time. Then, a third.

"He was just awesome," said John Amundsen, who taught Davis to fly. "I just hope if I ever have a situation like that, I am as cool as Kyle was."

As the plane got closer and closer to the ground, Davis had to make a split-second decision. Land in a nearby lake, or on Havendale Boulevard -- one of Winter Haven's busiest streets.

For whatever reason, there was no traffic on his side of Havendale, so Davis set her down there.

Now people around the world are watching what happened on YouTube. By Tuesday, it had gotten thousands of hits.

Even though Davis may have nerves of steel, a number of words on the video are bleeped out.

"I was saying my prayers," Davis said. "I was saying my prayers."

Article

Video footage of emergency landing - Metacafe

 

[Sneeky]

skills!!!
The altitude bleeds away very fast with no power man, eish.

 

[LazyLion]

wow, lucky there were not many cars. They looked amazingly calm. I woulda been freaking out.

 

[oldBastard]

wow, lucky there were not many cars. They looked amazingly calm. I woulda been freaking out.

Very lucky, I think the Big Man upstairs just cleared the way for them. For a 22 year old he did very well, just did what he was taught to do. Keep calm and look for possible places to land.

The fact that the engine also started twice helped him to the road, giving him that extra oempf.

But how was that parking?

"Hi hon, do we need bread and milk?"

"I thought you were on your way to the fly-inn?"

"Yea I am, just thought I pick some stuff up while I park the plane in front of the general store."