© WFTSA small aircraft with two people onboard crashed into a home in Winter Haven, Fla, Feb. 23, 2019.
The pilot of the flight was killed, but a trainee pilot and eight people inside the home all walked away with minor injuries.
"It was the day of miracles," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd during a press conference, referring to the fact that everyone inside the house survived.
The twin-engine aircraft fell into the house in Winter Haven, Florida, at around 1 p.m. while its pilot, James Wagner, 64, and his trainee, Timothy Sheehy, were practicing simulated engine failure training, Judd said.
© WFTSA small aircraft with two people onboard crashed into a home in Winter Haven, Fla, Feb. 23, 2019.
It's unclear if the pair were actually simulating an engine failure at the time of the crash as well as who was piloting the aircraft, Judd said, adding that, regardless, the aircraft lost power and fell.
The plane crashed into the bedroom of 17-year-old Carmele Ngalamulume, pinning and trapping her against a wall until her brother, who was in the next bedroom, could run in and save her. There were three other children playing in the driveway of the house, according to Judd. Their mother was taking a shower when the plane dropped from the sky.
Authorities arrived on the scene within five minutes of receiving the call about the crash. Firefighters, the first on the scene, arrived to find Sheehy wandering around the area after walking out of the crash, Judd said.
Ngalamulume and Sheehy, 33, both suffered minor injuries.
"As tragic as it was for Mr. Wagner, it could have been much worse," said Judd.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating and determining a probable cause for the incident, according to an FAA spokesman.
Despite the 'on average, too many humans in one place" fact around here (and all over the US, per my thoughts on the best way to have run this place); but, whatever! Despite that, there are still very many low lying areas (e.g., around the St. Johns River, et al. where it would be easy to be flying over NO ONE! Logically, it should not at all be hard to require that such 'practices NEVER occur over areas that have a population density of greater than 0.07 people per acre. (Look at all the houses in the picture.)
If 'our' (sic) government (sic) really cared for us, they would:
1) Instantly shut down such training flights over populated areas; and,
2) Since Fukushima should have shut down all nuke plants.
While the government might do #1 - which I doubt - I would prefer that they do #2.
Instead, all they do is "do number two" all over us, 24/7/365.
R.C.