Heart attack claims pilot.

[350DRIVER]

Passenger Crash Lands Plane After Pilot Stricken



NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 5) - A passenger was forced to crash land a private plane Thursday after the pilot suffered an apparent heart attack, authorities said.

The pilot later died. The two passengers were taken to University Medical Center in Las Vegas after the crash at North Las Vegas Airport, said Donn Walker, regional spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane was registered to Douglas R. Reichardt of Henderson, who was piloting the twin-engine Gulfstream I turboprop. A hospital official didn't know whether Reichardt died in the air or later at the hospital.

The two passengers did not appear to be seriously hurt, authorities said. Their names were not immediately released.

The pilot had filed a flight plan to San Diego and the plane took off from North Las Vegas at 8:30 a.m., Walker said. About 45 minutes later, the plane crashed on its belly several hundred feet short of an airport runway. The pilot is believed to have suffered a heart attack, Walker said.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

Reichardt had a valid multiengine airline transport pilot's license, according to FAA records.



05/05/05 22:46 EDT

 

[Bluestreak]

Is it possible to get a single-pilot type for a G1 ?

 

[mrkopaj]

The aircraft was an Aero Commander. Typical media failure to get the facts straight.

 

[greygoose]

Now thats two totally different airplanes

 

[mnixon]

They're all the same to the drooling media idiots

 

[350DRIVER]

The aircraft was an Aero Commander. Typical media failure to get the facts straight.

Anyone have a link to a more accurate news story than the one I found?.

This was only other article I was able to locate and it was from the review journal.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/May-06-Fri-2005/news/26454926.html

 

[flytheblue]

Wow, who would have thought a Commander could be mistaken for a Gulfstream... that's funny!

 

[Midnight Flyer]

So they crash landed 45 minutes later at an airport? That's pretty impressive that a non pilot passenger can get the thing down, much less close to an airport.

 

[coolyokeluke]

This flying stuff must be easier than we give it credit for.

 

[hydroflyer]

At least the story got the number of engines right. Maybe progress is being made.

 

[mrkopaj]

http://www.kvbc.com/

Click on "Passenger who landed plane speaks."

 

[TonyC]

Typical media failure to get the facts straight.

I saw television coverage of the incident. As the cameraman zoomed in on the bent tips of the props, the newsman talked about the 2 jet engines.







.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

http://www.kvbc.com/

Click on "Passenger who landed plane speaks."

Wow. If they were flying for 45 minutes, they were probably pretty close to their cruise altitude, and if you look at the picture in the above link, it appears to be cloudy. How can this non pilot use the instruments to find the airport? There are some private pilots who loose controls if they fly into IMC. Also, you hear him mention that they lowered the gear and flaps, and that he made a second pass to the runway. How does a non pilot even know to put down flaps for landing, and where these controls are in the plane? It is truly amazing to me.
Good job!

 

[Irish Pilot]

Heres some video and story for ya...

http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3309589&nav=15MVZZD2


Happened to just miss it as I was pulling up to the airport. A good friend of mine was the aircraft in trail of him and one of our company aircraft was holding short when it happened. Pretty interesting story. It was a Turbo Commander.

 

[Ultraman]

Gulfstream actually owned the Commander line in the early 1980's, so although not a G-1, depending on the year of manufacture, the plane could have been a Gulfstream.

For what it's worth.

Ultraman