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View Full Version : Plane goes down and burns on river yesterday



Havasteve
07-11-2006, 07:43 AM
Came across this plane burning on the river yesterday evening, The jetski in the pic put most of the fire out, kept it from going to the bottom. Both people were ok.
Plane crashes, burns in river
BY DAVID BELL
Monday, July 10, 2006 11:15 PM MDT
and BRIAN DiTULLIO
As the boat pulled up to the aircraft, fully engulfed in flames on the Colorado River Monday, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Smith wondered to himself how many bodies would have to be pulled out of the wreckage.
Thankfully, Smith said, there were no fatalities, as both people in the plane that ditched near Jopps Harbor Cove just before 5:30 p.m. escaped without injury.
“It's a miracle really,” said Smith. “If you have seen the plane on fire when we came up on it, you'd have said there was no way anyone could have survived.”
The plane, an experimental amphibious Sea Wind 3000, was piloted by Robert Hemme of Lake Havasu City. Hemme, along with his son David, 17, took off from Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport for a trip to Big Bear, Calif. Prior to heading west, Hemme wanted to perform some “touch-and-go's,” - landing the plane on the water and then taking off again.
After one touch-and-go, on the ascent, both said they smelled smoke. Hemme started safety procedures and found an electrical short had stopped his ability to kill power. He decided to ditch the plane in the river just north of the mouth of Lake Havasu.
With smoke filling the cabin, so much that David Hemme told sheriff's deputies he was forced to hold his breath, the plane touched water. Then the plane burst into flame and the two men dived into the water, escaping smoke and fire injury.
Smith said luck continued to hold out for the two men as a southbound boater saw the plane during its northbound descent. The boater waited for the plane to touch down, saw the two men jump out and swooped right in to pull them out of the water and out of harm's way.
“There must have also been a ruptured fuel line as the water around the plane was also on fire,” said Smith. “But through quick action there was minimal environmental impact. Vessel assist was right on scene with us to boon off the area and they used absorbent boons to pick up any fuel and oil in the water.”
The plane drifted about one-quarter mile downriver while still burning before a joint effort of San Bernardino County Fire and Lake Havasu City Fire Departments were able to extinguish the blaze. The aircraft, estimated at about $220,000, was a total loss;
Also assisting in the incident was Mohave County Sheriff's deputies, San Bernardino County Aviation and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the incident.
“Because of altitude and a level head, they both survived without injury,” said Smith. “If they had achieved the altitude they wanted to fly to Big Bear, there's no way they could have survived. It's really a miracle.”
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http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0460.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0459.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0457.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0456.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0455.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0453.jpg

riverracerx
07-11-2006, 07:46 AM
At least jet skis are good for something.
Looks like someone spent alot of money on some kindling. Bummer.

Beer-30
07-11-2006, 07:49 AM
At least is was a Lake Amphibian.

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 07:52 AM
He probably came home and his wife was like ya right!!! You are an hour late and you're gonna tell me you put out a burning plane with your crapin little Jet Ski!!!!! IT'S OVER JHONNY!!!!

Throttle
07-11-2006, 07:52 AM
we had just missed seeing this, went through there a little over an hour prior to the incident. glad to hear that no one was seriously injured.

Hardly Satisfied
07-11-2006, 09:55 AM
Thank God it was not busy out there with alot of boats around . Glad they were able to make it out safe and there was someone around to pick them up

RitcheyRch
07-11-2006, 10:10 AM
Could have been a scary situation on a busy holiday weekend. Thankfully no one was injured or killed.
Thank God it was not busy out there with alot of boats around . Glad they were able to make it out safe and there was someone around to pick them up

desertbird
07-11-2006, 10:12 AM
Get yer own here~! :2purples: :2purples: :2purples:
http://www.seawindsna.com/

deltarat
07-11-2006, 10:16 AM
At least jet skis are good for something.
Looks like someone spent alot of money on some kindling. Bummer.
You and I both know that guy was just trying to see how close he could get the plane before jumping its wake and not get yelled at!!!

RitcheyRch
07-11-2006, 10:20 AM
Another one of those companies selling kits but you need to register it as an experimental.

ultra27jay
07-11-2006, 10:28 AM
last friday at around 5 pm i saw this guy flying around at the sand bar. he did a fly by and touched down on the water and took off again. it was pretty cool. we all thought he was going to stop and have a beer....its a shame to see him crash and burn......goose watch the hatch!!!!!!

Sleek-Jet
07-11-2006, 10:34 AM
At least is was a Lake Amphibian.
OK, you get two more chances... :D
I see that fiberglass airplanes burn as well as fiberglass boats do. Good job to the pilot for getting it down in one peice.

Fast Freddy
07-11-2006, 12:58 PM
that would be crazy to see that on the water

hal300t
07-11-2006, 01:09 PM
Saw this guy buzzing the river 4th of July weekend, about 20 ft above the crowded river just north of Needles. He could not have been on an approach to landing! ( illegal )

TrojanDan
07-11-2006, 01:10 PM
last friday at around 5 pm i saw this guy flying around at the sand bar. he did a fly by and touched down on the water and took off again. it was pretty cool. we all thought he was going to stop and have a beer....its a shame to see him crash and burn......goose watch the hatch!!!!!!
I saw that guy doing those speed runs in that plane at the Sandbar on Friday also. I thought it was crazy of him to be doing that with other boats around. Glad he/she is ok but he/she probably learned a valuable lesson.

BajaMike
07-11-2006, 01:21 PM
Here's a pic of one of those planes I got off the Internet...
http://www.flywellington.co.nz/swxpretakeoff.JPG
Although, the one that's burning looks like it's turbine powered...anyone know?
:idea:

Ion
07-11-2006, 02:06 PM
A couple hours ago, as I was doing a boat in one of Campbell Boat's storage units, I saw what's left of this plane on a flatbed, heading north on London Bridge road. Pretty scary!

SMFRiverRat
07-11-2006, 02:17 PM
That is a SeaWind.
Powered by a Lycoming 540.
Just say no to Homebuilts.

ThongMagnet
07-11-2006, 03:37 PM
That is a SeaWind.
Powered by a Lycoming 540.
Just say no to Homebuilts.
Insurance will pick up the cost of a new one. No big deal, when you got $220K for a toy like that, you'll have another one soon. Any landing you walk away from is a good one. ??? ok he swam away, still a good one :) :) :)

No Name
07-11-2006, 03:52 PM
Here's a pic of one of those planes I got off the Internet...
http://www.flywellington.co.nz/swxpretakeoff.JPG
Looks like they jacked the gelcoat from RiverRacerx. :rolleyes:
http://riverracerx.com/images/mb2/uploads/post-23-97483-RRX1animated.gif

Havasu Cig
07-11-2006, 04:08 PM
We were out on the pontoon on Sunday evening and the same plane was doing touch and goes in front of the sand bar. I thought it was a little crazy with the boat traffic that goes through there. :rolleyes:

shueman
07-11-2006, 08:07 PM
He probably came home and his wife was like ya right!!! You are an hour late and you're gonna tell me you put out a burning plane with your crapin little Jet Ski!!!!! IT'S OVER JHONNY!!!!
LMAO...!!! :) :rollside:

Pro Max
07-11-2006, 08:12 PM
I guess Jet Skis are good for something afterall :skull:

RiverToysJas
07-12-2006, 05:57 PM
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0460.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0459.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0457.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0456.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0455.jpg http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2632Dscf0453.jpg
That's what I saw! We were there at the same time. ;)
RTJas :D

Outnumbered
07-12-2006, 06:07 PM
Pretty sure we saw this guy up on Mead last Saturday. We was attracting a crowd doing some low passes. We actually thought he was going to ditch it.

duffster
07-13-2006, 05:30 AM
They are very lucky to walk away I lost my bro in a experimental plane crash last year.