A Russian-built An-2 biplane made an off-airport landing near San Bernardino International Airport near Los Angeles Friday. The 1940s aircraft, owned by the Commemorative Air Force, was on final approach for the airport when the engine quit. “I thought we had the airport made. But when we got closer, it was obvious we weren’t going to make it,” pilot Cliff Heathcoat told the Press Enterprise. Heathcoat and a passenger were unhurt when the aircraft flipped and landed on its back after hitting power lines. The airplane is intact but obviously damaged.
When things got quiet, he headed for the only patch of open ground in the area. “Dude, there were houses everywhere,” he said. “We put it down in a little patch – maybe 10 to 20 acres – with houses all around. That was scary. We were fortunate.” The bright yellow aircraft, which is about the size of a DC-3, is powered by a single radial engine. It’s known as Big Panda and is a familiar sight at airshows in southern California.
