The plane, ownedF and piloted by Tom Beaman, a Clearwater D.O., was a 1966 Cessna 150, tail number N8672G. Dr. Beaman lives in the Feather Sound area; he landed the plane in Boca Ciega Bay last Friday, when the Cessna's engine quit.
He escaped with minor cuts, but the plane went underwater in minutes. Saturday afternoon a small crowd watched a boat lead the plane, floated with air bladders, back to the boat ramp at the Gulfport Municipal Marina.
The Gabber has no word on whether the plane paid the five dollar ramp fee.
http://www.thegabber.com
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON THE WATER AND FLIPPED OVER, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE PICKED UP BY A BOATER, 5 MILES FROM ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT, NEAR ST. PETERSBURG, FL
http://www.asias.faa.gov
http://registry.faa.gov/N8672G
PINELLAS COUNTY – Crews are at the scene of a small plane crash near the Pinellas Bayway.
According to emergency crews, the Cessna 150 went down in the water shortly before 1:30 p.m.
Officials said the pilot, 61-year-old Tom Beaman, had just taken off from Albert Whitted Airport when he started to experience mechanical issues.
“I was flying over Seminole, [when] the engine started riding kind of rough,” said Beaman. “Turned around and flew over Boca Ciega and I was going to fly over Lake Maggiore and the engine completely quit.”
Beaman turned around to head back when the plane went down, officials said.
“I probably glided for a good two minutes before I actually hit,” said Beaman.
Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said Beaman was five miles west of the airport when it crashed.
“All of a sudden the engine just stopped completely and I couldn’t get it started. So, I called the tower and told them I was going down into Boca Ciega.”
Witnesses said the plane flipped into the water.
“We thought, ‘Oh that’s a sea plane gonna make a landing out here,’ and all of a sudden the wheels hit the water and the plane flipped, did a somersault,” said John Dunn, president of Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club.
“I didn’t think I was going to flip,” said Beaman. “I was going pretty slow but it was a lot more violent than I remember, than I imagined it would be.”
A Good Samaritan pulled Beaman from the water. He has no serious injuries and refused medical treatment. He did however, hit his head in on the windshield.
“I didn’t get knocked out but the next thing you know you’re under water. Got the door open, live preserver on and was just going to swim in and then two boats came in and got me.”
Beaman said if he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, his head would have gone through the windshield. No one else was injured in the crash.
The FAA is investigating the crash.
Beaman said in 43 years of flying this is the first time he’s had anything happen.
“I could’ve gotten hurt, I could’ve gotten killed. It’s not that big of a deal really. Planes crash all the time,” said Beaman.
Beaman’s wife Diane said he is very lucky he only suffered a few cuts from the crash.
VIDEO – Pilot: ‘I didn’t think I was going to flip’
http://www.baynews9.com
Pilot Tom Beaman
