Plane down at Rockaway Townsquare mall
15 years 2 months ago #1
by misterpat
Plane down at Rockaway Townsquare mall was created by misterpat
Authorities are on the scene of a Cessna 172 that apparently crash-landed at the Rockaway Townsquare mall around noon after experiencing engine failure. A flight instructor and his student suffered no serious injuries.
Authorities said the single-engine Cessna 172 made an emergency landing in the parking lot area between the mall's JCPenney store and the Toys R Us store. The male pilot and a female passenger exited the aircraft. Both were taken by ambulance to St. Clare's/Dover General Hospital.
The Morris County Prosecutor's Office, the Morris County Sheriff's Office, Morris County Emergency Management, Picatinny Arsenal and Rockaway Township emergency response units are on the scene.
Rockaway Township firefighters, assisted by Picatinny Arsenal hazardous materials units, sprayed fire-suppressing foam over the parking lot around the plane to prevent fire related to any fuel leaks.
The 30-year-old plane, owned by Genesus One, an aircraft charter and leasing company based in Paramus, reportedly was en route to Essex County Airport when it encountered problems and was forced to attempt a landing in the mall parking lot, authorities said.
An eyewitness, Maciej Andrejczyn of Byram, described the pilot's landing as a "controlled crash."
Andrejczyn said he was standing outside the mall and saw the plane heading toward the mall. He said the aircraft's approach was silent -- he did not hear any engine noises as the plane flew toward the mall.
The Cessna struck several trees before reaching the mall parking lot, where it bounced, losing a wheel, and spun around before coming to rest on its nose, Andrejczyn said. The plane did not strike any cars in the parking lot, he said.
"It came flying in from the north by Dick's Sporting Goods. I started running with a bunch of other people toward Toys 'R Us," Andrejczyn said. "I would definitely call it a controlled crash."
Another eyewitness, Kim La Marco, 29, of Randolph, was driving near JCPenney at the time.
"I heard the big boom, the big crash. I was like in shock when I got out of the car," she said.
She saw oil "pouring out" of the plane, but no smoke.
The pilot was outside, lying on the ground, and woman was standing by him.
"I heard him say, 'My back, my back,'' she said. It was about 10 minutes before the pilot was back on his feet, she said.
La Marco said a crowd of hundreds had converged on the scene shortly after the crash.
"I was freaking out because there's a plane right in front of me," she said. "It's not like you see this every day, a plane crashed right in front of you."
It's the second time a plane has used the parking lot as a runway. In 1996, two people suffered minor injuries when their single-engine plane ran out of fuel and was forced to land there.
Authorities said the single-engine Cessna 172 made an emergency landing in the parking lot area between the mall's JCPenney store and the Toys R Us store. The male pilot and a female passenger exited the aircraft. Both were taken by ambulance to St. Clare's/Dover General Hospital.
The Morris County Prosecutor's Office, the Morris County Sheriff's Office, Morris County Emergency Management, Picatinny Arsenal and Rockaway Township emergency response units are on the scene.
Rockaway Township firefighters, assisted by Picatinny Arsenal hazardous materials units, sprayed fire-suppressing foam over the parking lot around the plane to prevent fire related to any fuel leaks.
The 30-year-old plane, owned by Genesus One, an aircraft charter and leasing company based in Paramus, reportedly was en route to Essex County Airport when it encountered problems and was forced to attempt a landing in the mall parking lot, authorities said.
An eyewitness, Maciej Andrejczyn of Byram, described the pilot's landing as a "controlled crash."
Andrejczyn said he was standing outside the mall and saw the plane heading toward the mall. He said the aircraft's approach was silent -- he did not hear any engine noises as the plane flew toward the mall.
The Cessna struck several trees before reaching the mall parking lot, where it bounced, losing a wheel, and spun around before coming to rest on its nose, Andrejczyn said. The plane did not strike any cars in the parking lot, he said.
"It came flying in from the north by Dick's Sporting Goods. I started running with a bunch of other people toward Toys 'R Us," Andrejczyn said. "I would definitely call it a controlled crash."
Another eyewitness, Kim La Marco, 29, of Randolph, was driving near JCPenney at the time.
"I heard the big boom, the big crash. I was like in shock when I got out of the car," she said.
She saw oil "pouring out" of the plane, but no smoke.
The pilot was outside, lying on the ground, and woman was standing by him.
"I heard him say, 'My back, my back,'' she said. It was about 10 minutes before the pilot was back on his feet, she said.
La Marco said a crowd of hundreds had converged on the scene shortly after the crash.
"I was freaking out because there's a plane right in front of me," she said. "It's not like you see this every day, a plane crashed right in front of you."
It's the second time a plane has used the parking lot as a runway. In 1996, two people suffered minor injuries when their single-engine plane ran out of fuel and was forced to land there.
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15 years 2 months ago #2
by almostgone
Replied by almostgone on topic Plane down at Rockaway Townsquare mall
plane still looks good for a crash landing
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