Experimental Plane Crashes Shortly After Take Off

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 3, 2015

A man got one heck of scare after taking off in a plane from Sebastian Municipal Airport in Sebastian, Florida. He was just going for a leisurely afternoon flight when everything went wrong in a hurry.

Pilot Andrew Liptak, 73, who is a resident of North Carolina, took off from the airport around 9 a.m. on February 13^th. Shortly after the plane lifted off the ground, the passenger side door of the plane swung open. Liptak took quick action and turned the plane around and tried to return to the airport. He circled the plane around 180 degrees, but it began losing elevation.

The plane was a small, experimental airplane. Similar kits cost between $34,650 and $110,000, depending on the type of the plane that a person is purchasing. The flight was the first time that Liptak had ever flown the experimental plane. Liptak had purchased the plane used from another individual who had built the plane.

For some unknown reason, the plane continued to lose elevation. An experimental plane should have flown just fine with the passenger door open, even it does not seem safe, according to an expert who was interviewed by local media. The plane eventually crashed in some thick brush and trees near the airport.

The experimental plane is described as “a true high-performance airplane with the ability to make 1,000 mile cross-country trips at speeds in excess of 200 MPH – while carrying four adults and baggage in total comfort. With the rear mounted engine, the noise, propeller turbulence, engine heat and fumes are behind you, providing an atmosphere comparable to a modern sports sedan.”

Emergency responders and local law enforcement officials were able to reach the plane shortly after the crash. Liptak was injured in the plane crash but survived. He was able to speak with investigators after the accident and inform them of the mishap. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating the crash.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a private airplane accident, either as a passenger or on the ground, contact Florida aviation accident attorney James O. Cunningham, P.A. immediately at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free initial consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.