New Smyrna Beach Airport Changes

September 18, 2007

Pilot OK after making emergency landing

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Looking at the carpet of green sod laid out before him, pilot Jay Michael said if he had to run out of gas and make an emergency landing, he could not have asked for a better spot.

"I thought I had 30 minutes left," he said of his fuel consumption calculation for his flight from the panhandle town of Marianna to New Smyrna Beach on Monday afternoon. "I was on final approach when my engine died. That is when training kicked in."

The 47-year-old declared an emergency and was directed to a grass airfield to the south. But Michael quickly realized he would not make it and turned his Cessna 150 back toward State Road 44 with the idea of landing on the four-lane highway. By then he said the plane was too low and he saw the fields of Kirkland Sod Inc. beneath him. He set the single-engine aircraft down without mishap.

His only concern on landing at that location was an irrigation sprayer stretched across the field. He was able to stop about 100 yards short of the wheeled series of pipes.

Michael, who said he has been piloting aircraft for about six years, was delivering his airplane to a potential buyer at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport. Before leaving Marianna, he filled the 30-year-old aircraft's 44-gallon tank and believed there was plenty of gas for the nearly 300-mile journey.

"It should have lasted for four hours, but it lasted three and a half," he said, speculating a headwind or flying lower than planned to avoid some weather as he crossed the state may have sucked his tank dry sooner than expected.

"I should have stopped at DeLand (airport)," an embarrassed Michael said. "I passed right over it. When I looked at my fuel gauge there was still fuel and I looked at my watch and there was still time.

"I made the wrong choice."

Nearby resident Bud Schwartz said he didn't see the aircraft come down, but praised Michael's selection of places to put it down.

"He picked a pretty good landing spot," he said.

Michael said once the aircraft is checked by a mechanic, he planned to put some gas in it and complete his journey.

"I thank my flight trainers for all those emergency landing practice runs," he said.