At 1807 Eastern time, the airplane crashed into an unoccupied elementary school and burst into flames shortly after takeoff. Visual conditions prevailed; the Airline Transport pilot received fatal injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested a return to the Sarasota Airport and subsequently made a mayday call and declared that he was making a crash landing. There was no further communication. Witnesses stated the airplane was flying slowly with erratic lateral and pitch excursions; they did not hearf engine sounds before the airplane first contacted the building.
June 18, 2005, Sarasota, Fla. / Seawind 3000 Experimental
At 1807 Eastern time, the airplane crashed into an unoccupied elementary school and burst into flames shortly after takeoff. Visual conditions prevailed; the Airline Transport pilot received fatal injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested a return to the Sarasota Airport and subsequently made a mayday call and declared that he was making a crash landing. There was no further communication. Witnesses stated the airplane was flying slowly with erratic lateral and pitch excursions; they did not hearf engine sounds before the airplane first contacted the building....
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane crashed into an unoccupied elementary school shortly after takeoff, bursting into flames and fatally injuring the Airline Transport pilot.
- The pilot had requested a return to the airport and subsequently declared a mayday for a crash landing before communication ceased.
- Witnesses observed the aircraft flying slowly with erratic movements and reported hearing no engine sounds before it struck the building.
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