Cargo Plane Crash Pilot Takes Plunge

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Pilot Bob Robertson miraculously survived a spectacular crash landing of his Beech 18 on a busy Fort Lauderdale freeway after an engine failed during takeoff.
  • Robertson, who believed he would die, was shocked by his survival despite severe injuries, from which he is expected to make a full recovery.
  • Following the dramatic incident, Robertson announced his engagement, stating his girlfriend agreed to marry him.
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After a spectacular crash landing on a busy Fort Lauderdale freeway, Bob Robertson says he’s ready to take the plunge. Robertson, whose photo appeared in hundreds of newspapers and Web sites as he sat in the pilot’s seat, the shredded Beech 18 around him, told reporters his girlfriend has agreed to marry him. The promise of a new life is in sharp contrast to the fate he assumed he’d have when one engine gave out last week on takeoff from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. “I knew that I was going to die. The idea at that point is to try not to take a lot of people with you,” Robertson told The Associated Press. Robertson said he aimed for some grass near the freeway but didn’t expect much. “I was shocked I survived,” he said. “There was nothing left of the airplane, nothing except me and the seat. Everything else was debris. There was no pain, but I realized my injuries were severe.” He’s expected to make a full recovery.

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