Plane Crashes Into Gulf of Mexico After Pilot Reportedly Loses Consciousness
- Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:36pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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A private plane went down 170 miles off the Florida coast after the pilot reportedly lost consciousness.
NBC affiliate WBBH-TV reported the plane was circling over the Gulf of Mexico before running out of fuel and splashing down.
The Cessna 421 was due to land in Sarasota at 10:45 a.m. after leaving Slidell, La. at 6:43 a.m., WBBH reported. A tracking chart for the plane showed it making a “corkscrew pattern headed toward Florida” at 9 a.m., halfway through the flight.
According to CNN, the Air Force noticed the Cessna flying “erratically” and dispatched planes to check it out. The jet’s windows had either fogged or iced over and the pilot did not respond to radio calls.
Authorities believe the pilot was the only person on board.
Update: The Associated Press reported the plane landed intact and was floating right side up. A Coast Guard helicopter and patrol boat was responding. The pilot’s condition was unknown.
This post has been updated since it was first posted.
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MittensKittens
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 4:23pmThe jet’s windows had either fogged or iced over and the pilot did not respond to radio calls…
Hey Blaze a Cessna is not a jet, it has a propeller…HELLO!
Report Post »noczars
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 6:28pmHey Mitten: READ THE HEADLINE: PLANE does not equal JET
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 7:35pmHey NoCZARS read the story. The jet’s windows…. That was her point.
Now apologize for being an _______________.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:48pmThe pilot was probably a rich white guy so no one in the media cares what happened to him….unless…perhaps…he landed directly on a black guy in a lifeboat.
Report Post »Captain Morgan
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:33pmThe Cessna 421 is not a jet, but is does have a pressurized cabin, and the Continental GTSIO-520 engines allow it to fly at altitudes high enough to cause you to pass out from hypoxia if you lose pressurizaion. The windows frosted over is a big clue to a loss of pressurization of the cabin leading to the unconsciousness of the pilot.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:31pmI pray the pilot is ok. Your description is interesting and makes a lit of sense.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 7:41pmNo, I am pretty sure he is dead. If he lost pressurization and does not have oxygen to breath and passes out, the odds of the plane descending in time to a breathable altitude in enough time is doubtful.
I almost wonder if he went above the acceptable altitude on purpose knowing when he crashed he wouldn’t be hurting anyone. Time will tell if this was truly an accident or a suicide.
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:16pmAnother Cessna crash. Glad the military flew up there to check it out though.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:52pmI guess, using the word “jet”, makes the story more exciting, however a Cessna 421 is not a jet, it is a small, cabin class, piston powered, propeller driven aircraft.
Report Post »Belchfire V-8
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:26pmIt’s a lot bigger than my Taylorcraft.
Report Post »Teabunny
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:50pm2nd story of pilots almost/actually crashing into the oceans. weird. one thought venus was an oncoming plane.
Report Post »ZX12R
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:49pmWell, if he wasn’t already dead, he probably is now. Poor soul.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:48pmGod be with his family.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:46pmNow wait… how do you know he wasn‘t a terrorist who had a sudden attack of conscious and couldn’t go through with it? And, we don’t know how many others jumped from the plane……….
Just kidding here, but unlike the traitor in chief, we would do well to wait for all the info before we jump in, too, wouldn’t we? Just a thought…. GOD BLESS, SNOW!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:47pmI guess they’re doing a head count at the Kennedy compound right about now.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:43pmI did not laugh out loud at your comment. No, I did not.
Oh, YES, I DID!!!
Report Post »Dalady
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 5:55pmThis grandma laughed, too.
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