Friday, April 24, 2015

Pilot Forgets to Deploy Landing Gear

This is the moment an aeroplane touched down on a runway without deploying its landing gear and skidded along the runway on its belly.

Captured in Fort Pierce, Florida, the shocking footage shows the light general aviation aircraft approaching the Aero Acres residential airpark. despite the fact the Aerostar plane travels at speed, its descent towards the landing strip appears normal until the video maker makes a startling observation.

The man who shot the video told WPBF 25 News he was amazed when he found out the pilot, Chris Georgaklis, 85, was able to fly the damaged plane all the way to Fort Lauderdale and land safely.

Georgaklis said he was flying to visit friends on the Treasure Coast, and when he attempted to land his plane, something went wrong. He said just one thing went through his mind.

"I said, 'We've got to get out of here,'" Georgaklis said.

Georgaklis said he's been flying for almost 50 years, and he hopped in his Aerostar for a routine flight to Aero Acres in Fort Pierce with his dog, Buddy, on April 11.

Georgaklis said it's an annual trip, but he approached the runway too fast.

"The gear was down, and I saw that I was going a little faster than I liked, because you have to stop quickly," Georgaklis said.

That's when Georgaklis said he raised the gear and skidded across the runway.

Georgaklis said flight controllers told him there were no parts to fix the plane.

"I thought about it, and I said, 'Forget it. Let's go back home,'" Georgaklis said.

Georgaklis said neither he nor his dog was injured. He flew to the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, where he landed safely.

The FAA is currently investigating the incident.

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