shueman
Libra
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Born To Drive...
   
Alta Loma CA
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Posted: July 11 2006,6:03 am |
Post # 1 |
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Plane crashes, burns in river
BY DAVID BELL and BRIAN DiTULLIO
Monday, July 10, 2006 11:15 PM MDT
As the boat pulled up to the aircraft, fully engulfed in flames on the Colorado River Monday, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Smith wondered to himself how many bodies would have to be pulled out of the wreckage.
Thankfully, Smith said, there were no fatalities, as both people in the plane that ditched near Jopps Harbor Cove just before 5:30 p.m. escaped without injury.
“It's a miracle really,†said Smith. “If you have seen the plane on fire when we came up on it, you'd have said there was no way anyone could have survived.â€
The plane, an experimental amphibious Sea Wind 3000, was piloted by Robert Hemme of Lake Havasu City. Hemme, along with his son David, 17, took off from Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport for a trip to Big Bear, Calif. Prior to heading west, Hemme wanted to perform some “touch-and-go's,†- landing the plane on the water and then taking off again.
After one touch-and-go, on the ascent, both said they smelled smoke. Hemme started safety procedures and found an electrical short had stopped his ability to kill power. He decided to ditch the plane in the river just north of the mouth of Lake Havasu.
With smoke filling the cabin, so much that David Hemme told sheriff's deputies he was forced to hold his breath, the plane touched water. Then the plane burst into flame and the two men dived into the water, escaping smoke and fire injury.
Smith said luck continued to hold out for the two men as a southbound boater saw the plane during its northbound descent. The boater waited for the plane to touch down, saw the two men jump out and swooped right in to pull them out of the water and out of harm's way.
“There must have also been a ruptured fuel line as the water around the plane was also on fire,†said Smith. “But through quick action there was minimal environmental impact. Vessel assist was right on scene with us to boon off the area and they used absorbent boons to pick up any fuel and oil in the water.â€
The plane drifted about one-quarter mile downriver while still burning before a joint effort of San Bernardino County Fire and Lake Havasu City Fire Departments were able to extinguish the blaze. The aircraft, estimated at about $220,000, was a total loss;
Also assisting in the incident was Mohave County Sheriff's deputies, San Bernardino County Aviation and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the incident.
“Because of altitude and a level head, they both survived without injury,†said Smith. “If they had achieved the altitude they wanted to fly to Big Bear, there's no way they could have survived. It's really a miracle.â€
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12-25-2025 Three Word Post.....The Next Generation.... (Rep.#20,039) from: BigDog
Guess it just wasn't their time to go!.. 
