A teenage pilot suffered only minor injuries after crashing a small plane into a backyard in Longueuil, Que. over the weekend.
The 17-year-old was released from hospital on Sunday, with only a small cut on her forehead. Shockingly, she was the only person who was injured in the crash, which took place in the Saint-Hubert neighbourhood.
The Cessna 150 came down moments after it took off on Saturday, crashing into Altagracia Echavarria's backyard. The plane ruined Echavarria's gazebo and covered hot tub, but it could have been worse as she had been in the spa only 25 minutes earlier.
"I'm still in shock. I didn't sleep at all last night," Echavarria told CTV Montreal, explaining that she feels lucky to be alive.
Witnesses said they saw the plane take off, make a U-turn and then take a dive into the yard. Many said it's a wonder that the plane didn't crash into anything else.
"It's surprising how it happened because it's surrounded by electric poles and everything, and it only crashed in one spot," Jean-Guy Ranger of the Longueuil Fire Department said.
The fire department said the gazebo likely broke the plane's fall, and possibly saved the pilot's life. Ranger said firefighters acted quickly to contain the damage and prevent a fire from sparking.
Resident Yvon Chateauneuf said he used his garden hose to douse the plane with water so it wouldn't catch fire. Others worked to pull the pilot from the wreckage.
The plane is registered to the Air Richelieu Flight School. A spokesperson for the school said the pilot had 12 hours of training and Saturday's flight was her third solo flight.
Residents living near the Saint-Hubert Airport said they've been concerned about the flight paths before.
"I believe the planes fly too close. It's dangerous… this is a residential area," Echavarria said.
The plane wreckage is being stored at an airport hangar. The Transportation Safety Board will examine it this week and try to determine how the accident happened.
With a report by CTV Montreal's Kevin Gallagher
