WEST BROWARD, FLA. (WSVN) - The pilot of a small plane and his student are lucky to be alive after, officials said, they crash landed in the Florida Everglades in West Broward.
7Skyforce HD hovered above the overturned Cessna 172 south of Alligator Alley, Thursday afternoon.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane went down about 10 miles west of Hollywood.
“An aircraft, the Cessna 172, took off from North Perry Airport around 10:30 this morning,” said Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane.
Investigators said the pilot called for help after being in the air for some time.
“They were airborne for about 90 minutes when the pilot says he lost power,” said Kane.
Officials said the impact caused the aircraft to flip over.
“In this case, it was a very controlled landing. The aircraft did land upside down,” said Kane.
Crews launched rescue efforts by air and on the water.
“Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue responded with a contingency of multiple assets, including helicopters, airboats, rescue units and fire boats,” said Kane.
Officials said the two men on board, both in their 20s, were able to exit safely.
Both the pilot and the passenger were able to escape relatively unharmed.
Both occupants are affiliated with the Wayman Aviation Academy out of North Perry Airport.
Wayman Aviation is the same flight school associated with a fiery crash in Miramar that killed a student and seriously injured his instructor back in May.
In addition, two planes experienced mechanical issues when landing in March of this year and in September of 2019. In November, a student was also hurt when a plane he was flying in crashed.
Officials said the instructor and student in Thursday’s crash are being checked out at a local hospital.
“They will be transported to Cleveland Clinic Hospital for evaluation, but they are both conscious, alert and answering questions,” said Kane.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.