2 Small Plane Emergencies Reported In Lee County On Same Day

LEE COUNTY, FL — Two separate aviation emergencies unfolded in Lee County on Sunday, including a plane that crashed into a pickup truck during an attempted emergency landing and another aircraft that left its pilot stranded in a remote preserve, the Lee County Sheriff's Office said.

The first incident happened around noon near Bayshore Road and Interstate 75, when two pilots aboard an aircraft experienced a mechanical issue and attempted an emergency landing, the sheriff’s office said.

During the landing, the aircraft crashed into the back of a pickup truck traveling east on Bayshore Road. Neither the pilots nor anyone else involved was injured, officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration responded and is leading the investigation into the incident. Bayshore Fire Rescue, FDOT Southwest Florida and Sheriff's Office deputies also responded.

A second emergency landing happened shortly after 1 p.m. at Estero Bay Preserve, where a Highwing amphibious floatplane came to rest in a remote, landlocked area inaccessible by boat or vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. (Watch a video from the rescue below.)

The pilot, the plane’s sole occupant, was safely rescued by the agency’s Aviation Unit, which conducted an aerial rescue as part of a multi-agency response. The pilot wasn’t injured in the incident.

The Iona McGregor Fire District, South Trail Fire Protection and Rescue Service District, Lee County Public Safety, and Crash and Fire Rescue also assisted.

The FAA has also assumed jurisdiction over the second incident.

Watch a video from the amphibious floatplane's rescue:

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