Hero pilot sacrifices his life to save others in neighborhood crash
May 5, 2011, 11:51 am
The National Transportation Safety Board and the federal Aviation Administration are investigating a recent plane crash in Miami Gardens, Florida. A plane took off from the Opa-Locka airport and crashed into a residential area only moments later.
One witness told CBS Miami that the plane appeared to be attempting to return to the airport when it went down. The twin-engine Beechcraft 18 landed in the front yard of a home, killing the pilot, Harry Trauffer.
"I don't think it's an accident for him to put the plane where he did and take his own life to save everyone else's," Traffuer's stepson told WSVN-TV. Eric Johnson said that his stepfather had over 40 years of flight experience, which shows even experienced pilots may want to invest in pilot life insurance.
So far, the NTSB and the FAA have found no evidence to explain internal control failures that may have caused the crash. Tammy Knowles, the woman who hired Trauffer for the flight, told the news source that the plane's original flight was delayed because of mechanical issues with the engine, but investigators are unsure if the crash was related.
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