Plane Crash on Florida Public Road Caught on Video

Plane Crash on Florida Public Road Caught on Video
Tom Ozimek
Updated:

A plane crash-landed on a city street in Clearwater, Florida, on Sunday, Nov. 19. The 61-year-old pilot experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff and attempted an emergency landing on a public road. But the plane clipped a tree, lost control and crashed.

Neither pilot nor passenger was injured in the incident, which was captured on dashcam video by police.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to an unrelated call in the area witnessed an unusual sight on Keene Road North in Clearwater. A single-engine aircraft was flying low and losing altitude as it approached the patrol car. The dashboard-mounted camera caught the plane’s dramatic descent, with cars stopping or pulling over in reaction to what looked like an emergency landing about to happen.

The dashboard camera in a patrol car records the dramatic final descent of the four-seater 1975 Rockwell International 112A fixed-wing aircraft above Keene Road North in Clearwater, Fla., on Sunday, Nov. 19. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)
The dashboard camera in a patrol car records the dramatic final descent of the four-seater 1975 Rockwell International 112A fixed-wing aircraft above Keene Road North in Clearwater, Fla., on Sunday, Nov. 19. Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

The plane passed overhead and the deputies turned around to follow it. The camera again caught sight of the aircraft streaking toward the trees and on a sharp descent.

(Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

The wing clipped a tree, causing the plane to spin out of control and crash.

(Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
According to Fox news the pilot, Marc Benedict, took off from Zephyrhills Airport just after 10:00 a.m., and soon after noticed engine trouble.
Benedict told investigators he thought the plane wouldn’t make it back to the airport and began to search for a safe place to make an emergency landing, Fox reported. As the pilot tried to land on Keene Road, the plane’s left wing clipped a tree, causing the plane to lose control and crash.

Neither the pilot nor his passenger reported any injuries in the incident, said Fox.

(Facebook/Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department)
Facebook/Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department
(Facebook/Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department)
Facebook/Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department
(Facebook/Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department)
Facebook/Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department

The investigation into the cause of the crash is being carried out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

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Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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