VIRGINIA KEY, FLA. (WSVN) - A pilot seems to be OK after crashing a banner plane in Virginia Key.
Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene at the Central District Treatment Plant, at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, just after 1:30 p.m., Wednesday.
7SkyForce HD hovered over the scene as the pilot seemed to be OK, as he talked to officials.
The yellow plane stopped on a road and had sustained damage to the tail and wings.
There were no other vehicles on the road at the time the pilot landed the plane.
Witnesses who were kayaking nearby said they saw the large advertisement banner fall off before the crash.
“We turned, and we saw the advertisement,” witness Gabriella Obregon said. “It was a banner, and it was a GEICO banner, and we saw it go down. Then, the plane kind of, like, spun.”
“The guy actually spun around,” witness Jessica Botero said. “I guess he lost control, and he came very low into the trees. He passed the trees, and like she said, we waited a couple of seconds, and we heard the impact. I am pretty concerned because, obviously, there is a person in there and hearing that and crashing into the ground and since it was an advertisement plane, he could have been alone, so I could just imagine what was going through his head at the time. It’s just sad.”
Investigators said the plane originated out of North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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