But something went wrong Wednesday when a pilot doing “touch-and-go” exercises at St. Petersburg-Clearwater worldwide Airport veered off the edge of the main runway and crashed into a nearby grassy area about 11:45 a.m. The crash was visible from the tower, however, and controllers called 911 and the airport’s emergency personnel.
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The pilot was the only soul on board at the time of the accident, Routh said in a media release.
The plane crashed on airport property.
ATC: “Oh my god”.
Touch-and-go landings are used by pilots to practice landings and takeoffs, according to an article on the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.
It is unknown how or why the plane veered off the runway and crashed. “He had just landed and was accelerating to take off again”, says Tom Jewsbury, airport director.
Incoming and outgoing aircraft had to be diverted to another runway.
Because the plane came to rest in grass off to the side of the runway, officials expected to resume normal service once emergency vehicles were cleared from the main runway, Jewsbury said.
The aircraft came from Jet aircraft management in Sarasota.
Airport Rescue and firefighting crews were first on scene at the crash Wednesday morning.
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Air traffic control advised them of the crash but it was too late.
