A Plane Crash
A common sight in the skies here in the Denver area is a small plane trailing a long banner advertising Geico Insurance. On Monday afternoon, that plane went down.
According to newspaper reports, the pilot took off from an airport north of here and was headed south in the direction of downtown and Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies were playing. At some point he realized he was losing power and needed to make an emergency landing. In an effort to lighten the plane, he jettisoned the Geico banner, but it wasn't enough. He didn't make it to the open space he was aiming for but instead crash landed into the rear of a house, only about 2 miles from where I live. Coincidentally, the house happened to be one that he had owned ten years previously, although he didn't realize the fact until later.
Somehow the pilot, who as a fireman but worked part time for Drag'n'Fly Banners, survived the crash. He escaped from the wreckage, called 911, searched the house for occupants (Luckily no people were home at the time. Two dogs escaped unharmed from the garage), and then grabbed a garden hose and began trying to put out the fire. Firetrucks and paramedics arrived at the scene very quickly, relieving the pilot and treating him for cuts and bruises. Apparently he was en route to the hospital (as a precaution) when he stopped them, told them he was fine, and wanted to go back and file a report with the police.
The plane was extracted the following day with the help of a crane, and while the two story house is still standing, there are fears that it will collapse. At any rate, major repairs will have to be done before the family that lives there will be able to return.
As I said, the plane went down just two miles from my home. It was within my ward boundaries, just a few minutes walk from where our bishop lives. Is the lesson we can learn from this event that you never know when fate is going to fall out of the sky and come crashing into your home and life? Is it to live every day as though it might be your last? Or is the real question the one that everyone is wondering: were the people involved insured by Geico?
More info about the plane crash: Denver Post, Statter 911
According to newspaper reports, the pilot took off from an airport north of here and was headed south in the direction of downtown and Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies were playing. At some point he realized he was losing power and needed to make an emergency landing. In an effort to lighten the plane, he jettisoned the Geico banner, but it wasn't enough. He didn't make it to the open space he was aiming for but instead crash landed into the rear of a house, only about 2 miles from where I live. Coincidentally, the house happened to be one that he had owned ten years previously, although he didn't realize the fact until later.
Somehow the pilot, who as a fireman but worked part time for Drag'n'Fly Banners, survived the crash. He escaped from the wreckage, called 911, searched the house for occupants (Luckily no people were home at the time. Two dogs escaped unharmed from the garage), and then grabbed a garden hose and began trying to put out the fire. Firetrucks and paramedics arrived at the scene very quickly, relieving the pilot and treating him for cuts and bruises. Apparently he was en route to the hospital (as a precaution) when he stopped them, told them he was fine, and wanted to go back and file a report with the police.
The plane was extracted the following day with the help of a crane, and while the two story house is still standing, there are fears that it will collapse. At any rate, major repairs will have to be done before the family that lives there will be able to return.
As I said, the plane went down just two miles from my home. It was within my ward boundaries, just a few minutes walk from where our bishop lives. Is the lesson we can learn from this event that you never know when fate is going to fall out of the sky and come crashing into your home and life? Is it to live every day as though it might be your last? Or is the real question the one that everyone is wondering: were the people involved insured by Geico?
More info about the plane crash: Denver Post, Statter 911
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