Stunt pilot David Windmiller was forced to land his home made stunt plane on a Long Island highway Thursday afternoon, after his engine unexpectedly seized up and shed its propeller blades, reported Newsday.
Windmiller was reportedly flying at an altitude of 2,200 feet while returning to Republic Airport when his aircraft encountered the engine stall. Unable to return to the airport, Windmiller landed on route 231, which is approximately 5 miles from the field. Windmiller was able to set his aircraft down safely in between cars and trucks on quite a busy thoroughfare.
Windmiller was likely preparing for an appearance in the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach on Memorial day. After the safe landing, Windmiller told Newsday “My life is flying. Something like this is just a part of flying, unfortunately.” Thankfully, Windmiller is just fine, and his aircraft should be ready in time for the upcoming air show.
Known for his extreme stunt flying, the loss of Windmiller would be a big blow to the Bethpage Air Show, which has already seen the loss of the Thunderbirds due to federal budget cuts. Below is a video of Windmiller’s performance last year at Jones Beach.
