Belly landing on Alligator Alley saves pilot, his wife, unborn child
Two people walked away from the crash site where a single-engine plane made a hard landing on Alligator Alley in Broward County after experiencing engine trouble Thursday afternoon. But there were three survivors; one was an unborn child.
Justin Robinette, 26, and his wife, Ciji, 25, hopped out of their Piper PA 32 after it landed on its belly near Mile Marker 28 on Interstate 75 . Also spared: their unborn daughter, due in April.
"I'm so glad to be alive," Ciji Robinette said. "The three of us survived."
The Tennessee couple were flying into Opa-locka Airport on their way to start a cruise vacation, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.
"The pilot was experiencing engine issues," Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles said. "Fortunately, he picked a time and place where there were no cars."
Ciji Robinette was asleep when the trouble started, Jachles said. Her husband, who got his pilot's license in 2007, woke her as the plane was going down, Jachles said.
The Piper PA 32 landed on its belly and left a 6-foot skid mark on the highway. No vehicles were directly affected, but traffic was backed up in the eastbound lanes near mile marker 28, where the plane landed at 2:15 p.m.
Source: Belly landing on Alligator Alley saves pilot, his wife, unborn child
Justin Robinette, 26, and his wife, Ciji, 25, hopped out of their Piper PA 32 after it landed on its belly near Mile Marker 28 on Interstate 75 . Also spared: their unborn daughter, due in April.
"I'm so glad to be alive," Ciji Robinette said. "The three of us survived."
The Tennessee couple were flying into Opa-locka Airport on their way to start a cruise vacation, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.
"The pilot was experiencing engine issues," Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles said. "Fortunately, he picked a time and place where there were no cars."
Ciji Robinette was asleep when the trouble started, Jachles said. Her husband, who got his pilot's license in 2007, woke her as the plane was going down, Jachles said.
The Piper PA 32 landed on its belly and left a 6-foot skid mark on the highway. No vehicles were directly affected, but traffic was backed up in the eastbound lanes near mile marker 28, where the plane landed at 2:15 p.m.
Source: Belly landing on Alligator Alley saves pilot, his wife, unborn child
