'We're alive because of a great pilot'
HAILEY HILL | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 months, 3 weeks AGO
Three people walked away uninjured after this Lancair Evolution single-engine prop plane crashed into a new construction neighborhood and became engulfed in flames Sunday morning.
Courtesy Photo
The cause of Sunday's crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
HAYDEN — Dallan Pope couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched the single-engine plane he and two others had just evacuated be consumed by flames late Sunday morning.
It was far from the first time that Pope and his family had flown in his uncle’s 12-year-old Lancair Evolution — but what began as a short weekend outing quickly became a close call as the plane began experiencing mechanical issues midflight, resulting in engine failure.
As it became clear that the plane was not going to make it back to the Coeur d’Alene Airport, Pope’s uncle brought the plane down onto a recently paved road off East Lancaster Avenue, narrowly missing trees and unoccupied new construction homes.
“He brought the plane down in the only spot he could,” Pope said.
The plane had already caught on fire as it touched down and was fully engulfed only moments after Pope and his relatives escaped to safety.
While the group had to leave their belongings, including cellphones, behind, all walked away with nothing more than a few scratches and bruises.
“We’re alive because of a great pilot, and God watching out for us ... that’s the moral of the story,” Pope said.
First responders quickly arrived on scene after the group borrowed a phone from a group of kids biking by to call 911. The cause of the engine failure is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is protocol in aviation incidents.
Pope's uncle, the pilot of the plane, has not been publicly identified and could not be reached for comment.
The crash resulted in no damage to property despite its proximity to homes under construction.
“The contractor was pretty happy we didn’t hit his house,” Pope said with a laugh.
Despite the range of emotions Pope and his relatives experienced both during and after the crash, Pope won't hesitate to get back in the air in the future.
“This doesn’t happen very often,” Pope said. “Planes go up in the air all the time.”
Though the plane was a total loss, the group had quite a story to tell.
“Walking away from a burning airplane is not something you do every day,” Pope said.
The cause of Sunday's crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.ARTICLES BY HAILEY HILL
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