NewsState

Actions

Plane crashes into tree near woman's home in Florida Panhandle

Pilot, passenger, dog survive
wptv-plane-crashes-tree.jpg
Posted at 12:53 PM, Mar 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-09 13:00:15-04

DESTIN, Fla. — A father, son and a dog survived after their plane crashed into a tree in the backyard of a Florida Panhandle home this past weekend.

"As I’m walking up to my house, I see all these people climbing over my fence, and I’m like 'Hey, what's going on? What are you guys doing?' and they said a plane crashed into your backyard!" said a resident named Micki.

RELATED: More Florida news| Pilot killed after small plane crashes in Boynton Beach

The plane came just feet away from crashing into her home Sunday.

The pilot told the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office it was an engine problem that forced an emergency landing.

Micki was out walking her dog at the time of the crash.

If I had gotten home from the walk any earlier, I would have been sitting right there watching the planes because that's what I like to do on the weekends," said Micki.

Micki said a father and son and their pet Labrador were flying in from Kansas for a spring break trip.

The sheriff’s office reports all passengers came out without a scratch.

"Thank goodness everybody was OK, and no one was hurt. It was a miracle. It didn't hit the house it didn't hit anything other than tree limbs," said Micki.

A crane is being brought in to remove the plane from the tree.

Jason Dougherty, 47, of Garden City, Kansas, and Caleb Dougherty, 22, of Salina, Kansas were identified as the father and son aboard the plane.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash.