A student pilot who suffered an engine failure made an emergency landing in the Savannah River on Saturday morning and escaped without injury, officials said.
Savannah air traffic control notified the U.S. Coast Guard of a downed aircraft at 11 a.m. A rescue crew was training in a helicopter nearby and was diverted to the crash, the Savannah Morning News reported. The helicopter arrived about 10 minutes after notification and pulled the man to safety. His identity has not been released.
The pilot of the small Piper Cherokee was taken to the Savannah airport for a precautionary medical exam, which he declined, Coast Guard officials said.
According to the Morning News, the young pilot realized his plane would not make it back to the airport for a safe landing after the engine failed. Audio of the pilot’s mayday call revealed a matter-of-fact exchange with air traffic control.
“Mayday, mayday,” the pilot calmly said before his call sign. “I have a complete engine failure.”
“Roger, you got Savannah in sight?” the air traffic controller asked.
“Yeah ... I’m not gonna make it,” the pilot replies.
Though the pilot was not identified, the Coast Guard posted a photo of the man smiling with three members of the rescue crew alongside their high-visibility orange helicopter.
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