CAPE CORAL, Fla. — At 10am on February 24, 2024 there was an emergency plane landing on a residential Cape Coral road.
While the plane was damaged, the pilot was not. According to the pilot, departure from Pine Shadows Airpark in Fort Myers took place just 5 minutes before the aircraft started malfunctioning. The plane experienced a total loss of engine power at 1,500 ft msl (mean sea level).
The pilot says they tried to change power settings and use the fuel boost pump but it did not help the engine's power output.
This was when the decision was made to land in the residential neighborhood. Power lines were hit in the process. It landed in the grassy area on a divided highway and ended up fully stopping in the road on Vogiantzis Parkway in northeast Cape Coral.
The plane had 70 gallons of fuel during takeoff and had not been flown or refueled since December 2023 according to the National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report. However, a full pre-flight inspection was performed the night before the accident where no fuel tank contamination was found.
The first emergency responders to the scene noticed a small fuel leak. The plane was sprayed with extinguishing foam to prevent an inadvertent fire.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector says there was significant damage to both inboard wings. Further examination on the plane is underway.
