ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
A pilot is recovering after crashing a small plane in Zellwood.
The small airplane went down Monday in Orange County.
The crash was reported just before noon on Cemetery Road in Zellwood, near Apopka.
The 48-year-old licensed pilot took the one-seat plane out for a test flight following mechanical work. It was during that flight he had an engine problem, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The pilot briefly landed on an airstrip at Tangerine Airport, took off again, and crashed between two trees, officials said.
“(He) was able to land safely, tried to circle back around and that’s when he kinda lost control of the plane and ended up in a wooded area behind some residences off of Round Lake Rd.,” said Lt. Ryan Olsson, with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Witnesses called 911 saying the plane was clipping trees and seemed like it was about to crash.
The pilot had also been communicating with someone at the airport until the signal was lost.
The pilot was alert and conscious when he was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. He is currently in stable condition.
“We was talking to people, giving his name and date of birth, just visually looked like he had some minor head injuries,” Olsson.
The plane was built in March 2016. According to deputies, it’s a high performance aerobatic plane and it’s believed there was some sort of engine malfunction.
The pilot has not been identified.
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Acrobatic airplane crashes in Orange County
Pilot appears to be OK, deputies say
Posted: 12:27 PM, July 11, 2016 Updated: 4:32 PM, July 11, 2016
ZELLWOOD, Fla. - A 48-year-old man survived a plane crash Monday in Orange County, according to authorities.
The single-seat acrobatic airplane crashed just after noon near Cemetery Road in Zellwood, Orange County sheriff's deputies said.
The plane, which had 8 to 10 hours of usage on its engine, took off from Tangerine Field.
"It appears the plane had mechanical issues and crashed shortly after takeoff," the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
The pilot attempted unsuccessfully to land, officials said, and the aircraft went into some trees in the pilot's second landing attempt.
Deputies said the pilot suffered minor injuries and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center.
No other details were immediately available.
Watch News 6 and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.
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Date:
11-JUL-2016
Time: 12:00+
Type: Airplane
Owner/operator:
Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 1
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: East of Tangerine Airport (FL97), Zellwood, FL -
United States of America Phase: Take off
Nature: Test
Departure airport: Tangerine (FL97)
Destination airport:
Narrative:
following a loss of engine power during a post-maintainable flight, the aircraft impacted trees shortly after takeoff from Runway 9 at Tangerine Airport (FL97), Zellwood, Florida. The biplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received minor injuries.
Sources:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/small-aircraft-reported-down-in-apopka
http://www.wftv.com/news/local/pilot-recovering-after-plane-crash-near-orange-county-airport/396600284