Veteran airshow pilot safely lands plane in empty Robert Moses parking lot after engine failure
David Windmiller, 62, of Melville, was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was not injured. No one on the ground was hurt.
A veteran Long Island airshow pilot safely made an emergency landing in an empty parking lot at Robert Moses State Park on Wednesday after his plane suffered an apparent engine failure shortly after takeoff.
David Windmiller, 62, of Melville, was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was not injured. No one on the ground was hurt.
Windmiller, an aerobatic pilot who performs annually in the Air Show at Jones Beach, said he had departed Republic Airport in Farmingdale to practice for an airshow scheduled for the following day in Cape May, New Jersey.
Less than 10 minutes into the flight, Windmiller said the aircraft's propeller stopped while he was flying over Robert Moses Beach, forcing him to make an emergency landing.
"I was practicing for an airshow tomorrow in Cape May, New Jersey, and the brand-new engine quit," Windmiller said. "I had to find a place to land and found a beautiful parking lot with no cars in it. That was the only safe spot."
The pilot brought the aircraft down in an empty parking lot near Field 4, which is closed for the season.
Officials are investigating what caused the engine failure. Windmiller credited the availability of the vacant parking lot for helping him avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
The plane remained at the scene as authorities examined the incident.
No injuries were reported, and no property damage was immediately reported.
