PHOENIX — A camera attached to the wing of a seaplane captured the moments leading up to its emergency landing in Central Phoenix last month.
Read more Your favorite hobby could help you age more slowly, new study finds
The Republic RC-3 airplane landed on 7th Street after experiencing engine problems mid-flight.
The pilot and two passengers all walked away without any injuries.
“This is unbelievable. This a miracle,” Dragisa Raicevic said.
Raicevic, one of the passengers, told 12News they first realized something was wrong when the engine started making an unusual noise.
The pilot tried to recover the engine, but it was too late. Smoke started filling the cockpit.
“From that moment, (the pilot) switch off the engine and we just have what we have,” Raicevic said.
The plane started losing altitude fast and the pilot scanned for an open place to land.
“10 seconds to see what to do,” Raicevic said.
The pilot, Mike Tragarz, previously told 12News that 7th Street appeared to be the best option available, but he was met by two more challenges: power lines and a traffic sign hanging over the roadway.
“We don’t have enough speed to overflight. The only one solution he choose was right. It was to go down… and he did it,” Raicevic said.
Read more Drug counselor who delivered fatal dose of ketamine to Matthew Perry up for sentencing
The wing of the plane cleared the traffic sign with inches to spare.
The landing was hard, but the seaplane’s hull was strong.
“(The pilot) basically save us, and there were good circumstances in the field that when we land no one was there,” Raicevic said.
An investigation being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board is ongoing, but preliminary examinations revealed the engine’s exhaust tailpipe separated from the manifold, causing thermal damage and fractures.
Raicevic told 12News the pilot handled the moment exactly as he was trained.
“The difference of the experience, to stay calm and use full of your knowledge and calmness to solve the situation,” Raicevic said.
Watching the video back and reliving what could have had a different outcome was a mix of emotions for the three men on board.
“Your brain is working on 1000 percent,” Raicevic.
Just as the passengers are thankful for the pilot’s skilled landing, they’re also grateful to the first responders and witnesses who stepped in to help.
“We want to underline that all people were so generous,” Raicevic.
The pilot and passengers said they plan on showing this video to younger pilots and teaching them how to stay calm, troubleshoot problems and have successful outcomes.
Read more Coolidge community honors teen who drowned days before graduation