FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A twin-engine plane crash landed at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Wednesday morning.
According to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, crews arrived at the airport, at around 11:30 a.m., to find a Beech BE-18 twin-engine aircraft, which had two people inside, that made a rough belly landing.
The plane’s landing gear collapsed after the aircraft landed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. “It flew around and determined, before landing, that the gear was not coming down,” said plane enthusiast Mitchell Faine.
Officials received a call about the plane. “We did receive an alert too that a plane was having some type of distress,” said Gregory Maye with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. “Typically when that happens, the plane will do a couple flybys, and they’ll kinda look to see what’s going on.”
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“The control tower was able to speak with the pilot and determined they’re not locked, that’s when they came in,” Faine said.
The plane caught fire upon landing, but officials quickly extinguished the flames. “That’s when our crash truck, which is on site here, Truck 53 responded out. The plane was on fire,” Maye said.
Officials shut down Runway Nine as fire rescue sprayed the plane with foam.
The control tower sent out a radio message shortly after.
The company, which routinely takes supplies to the Bahamas, is investigating to figure out why the incident occurred. “Definitely lucky. It’s a good plane,” Faine said. “It is a very historic aircraft. I believe it’s the one that is similar to the one that Amelia Earhart was lost in. I’m hoping it has a chance to fly once again.”
No injuries to the two people on board have been reported.
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