CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A pilot made an emergency landing on a Cape Coral road Saturday morning near NE 9th Place and Vogiantzis Parkway.
The pilot told authorities when he took off from Pine Shadows Air Park in North Fort Myers, he couldn't reach 1,500 feet and his engine died.
Cape Coral Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Specialist Jason Orellana says the pilot tried to land on the road, about six miles away from where he took off from.
Authorities say the pilot made a hard landing because the plane's gears retracted, causing a fuel spill on the road. The pilot walked away with no injuries. No homes, cars or powerlines were hit.
Crews are putting foam on the spill and waiting for the FAA to arrive, which is expected to be between 2-3 p.m.
Orellana says the aircraft is a four-seater with one engine.
In a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration to Fox 4 they say,
This information is preliminary and subject to change.
A single-engine Bellanca 17-30A landed in a residential neighborhood in Cape Coral, Florida, around 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, Feb. 24 after the pilot reported a possible engine failure. Only the pilot was on board. The FAA will investigate.
CCFD says a wrecker from Jacksonville will take the plane, and they estimate roads to be be closed for at least another 12 hours from NE 38th Terrace to NE 10th Avenue on Vogiantzis Parkway.
