thedrifter
03-11-09, 12:52 PM
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Pilot's actions saved lives in Pendleton crash, friend says
Survivor’s brother provides new details of accident.
By ERIKA I. RITCHIE
The Orange County Register
A Costa Mesa pilot recovering at Scripps Memorial Hospital from a plane crash at Camp Pendleton on Saturday is being credited for saving the lives of his two passengers.
Alan Jacobson, 48, is listed in fair condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. His friend, David Menne, 58, from Oregon is still in critical condition at Mission Hospital. Scott Jones, 49, of Lake Forest was hospitalized one day and is recovering at home.
"We are extremely thankful for Alan Jacobson's skill as a pilot for doing a tremendous job of landing in such terrible conditions," said Mark Jones, 47, brother of Scott Jones, who sat in the right back seat of the Cessna 172. "As bad is it was, it could have been much worse. We also would like to thank everyone very much who reacted so quickly at the scene."
The Cessna was flying at about 3,500 feet when a loud bang shook it. Jacobson – known by friends to be a methodical and safe pilot – had an escape route ready. The 48-year-old Costa Mesa pilot reacted instantly, guiding the plane toward a helicopter landing pad near an area on the base known as Red Beach near the Las Pulgas exit on the west side of the I-5 Freeway, Mark Jones said.
Jacobson, Jones said recounting his brother's experience, lined up the aircraft for the descent and came down hard onto a dirt road and went into a ravine, breaking into pieces.
A motorist who called 911 was driving with her husband northbound on the freeway and saw the plane. Right away she realized it was in distress.
"What struck me strange was that he was flying over the military base and flying close to the freeway. The plane caught my eye again when it did a u-turn but this time flying much lower than before. Then it started to hover about 20 feet above the ground for a bit."
She estimated her distance from the plane at about a half mile.
"I started to get nervous because it looked like it was heading toward the freeway and us," she said. "Then it veered left a bit, then fell below my view for a couple of seconds then I saw its tail flipping up in the air and dirt and parts flying about."
In her judgment, it seemed the pilot was in control of the plane the entire time until it hit the dirt.
Motorists from the freeway raced to the scene of the downed plane, climbing over base fences. Two Marines – just out of boot camp and graduating students at Camp Pendleton's School of Infantry – were first on scene.
Camp Pendleton Fire Station 6 based near Las Pulgas Road responded. Authorities sent fire engines, a hazmat unit and paramedics.
"We threw a lot of resources at it," said Maurice Patrykus, a firefighter/paramedic with Camp Pendleton Fire that has jurisdiction over the 18 miles between San Clemente and Oceanside. "We had to cut the guys out of the plane. All three were in grave conditions. A couple of the civilians were helping hold the victims in the wreckage."
The plane suffered most of its damage on the right side when it crashed. Witnesses said the plane appeared to have engine trouble before it went down, and it lost its tail on impact. Menne was the front-seat passenger and appears to have suffered the greatest injury.
One paramedic took the role of medcom – calling trauma centers, and detailing injuries and coordinating transport. Jacobsen was airlifted to Scripps and Menne and Jones were taken via ambulance to Mission Hospital.
Jacobson – and his longtime friends – had taken a sunset flight headed to a favorite Mexican restaurant right near Montgomery Field in San Diego when his plane crashed at 5:58 p.m. on Saturday. All are aviation buffs, said Mark Jones, who is also friends with Jacobson and Menne.
The wreckage is at a salvage yard in Pearblossom and will be inspected by officials from the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and the plane's manufacturer. A preliminary report is expected to be issued in three days.
Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com
Ellie
Pilot's actions saved lives in Pendleton crash, friend says
Survivor’s brother provides new details of accident.
By ERIKA I. RITCHIE
The Orange County Register
A Costa Mesa pilot recovering at Scripps Memorial Hospital from a plane crash at Camp Pendleton on Saturday is being credited for saving the lives of his two passengers.
Alan Jacobson, 48, is listed in fair condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. His friend, David Menne, 58, from Oregon is still in critical condition at Mission Hospital. Scott Jones, 49, of Lake Forest was hospitalized one day and is recovering at home.
"We are extremely thankful for Alan Jacobson's skill as a pilot for doing a tremendous job of landing in such terrible conditions," said Mark Jones, 47, brother of Scott Jones, who sat in the right back seat of the Cessna 172. "As bad is it was, it could have been much worse. We also would like to thank everyone very much who reacted so quickly at the scene."
The Cessna was flying at about 3,500 feet when a loud bang shook it. Jacobson – known by friends to be a methodical and safe pilot – had an escape route ready. The 48-year-old Costa Mesa pilot reacted instantly, guiding the plane toward a helicopter landing pad near an area on the base known as Red Beach near the Las Pulgas exit on the west side of the I-5 Freeway, Mark Jones said.
Jacobson, Jones said recounting his brother's experience, lined up the aircraft for the descent and came down hard onto a dirt road and went into a ravine, breaking into pieces.
A motorist who called 911 was driving with her husband northbound on the freeway and saw the plane. Right away she realized it was in distress.
"What struck me strange was that he was flying over the military base and flying close to the freeway. The plane caught my eye again when it did a u-turn but this time flying much lower than before. Then it started to hover about 20 feet above the ground for a bit."
She estimated her distance from the plane at about a half mile.
"I started to get nervous because it looked like it was heading toward the freeway and us," she said. "Then it veered left a bit, then fell below my view for a couple of seconds then I saw its tail flipping up in the air and dirt and parts flying about."
In her judgment, it seemed the pilot was in control of the plane the entire time until it hit the dirt.
Motorists from the freeway raced to the scene of the downed plane, climbing over base fences. Two Marines – just out of boot camp and graduating students at Camp Pendleton's School of Infantry – were first on scene.
Camp Pendleton Fire Station 6 based near Las Pulgas Road responded. Authorities sent fire engines, a hazmat unit and paramedics.
"We threw a lot of resources at it," said Maurice Patrykus, a firefighter/paramedic with Camp Pendleton Fire that has jurisdiction over the 18 miles between San Clemente and Oceanside. "We had to cut the guys out of the plane. All three were in grave conditions. A couple of the civilians were helping hold the victims in the wreckage."
The plane suffered most of its damage on the right side when it crashed. Witnesses said the plane appeared to have engine trouble before it went down, and it lost its tail on impact. Menne was the front-seat passenger and appears to have suffered the greatest injury.
One paramedic took the role of medcom – calling trauma centers, and detailing injuries and coordinating transport. Jacobsen was airlifted to Scripps and Menne and Jones were taken via ambulance to Mission Hospital.
Jacobson – and his longtime friends – had taken a sunset flight headed to a favorite Mexican restaurant right near Montgomery Field in San Diego when his plane crashed at 5:58 p.m. on Saturday. All are aviation buffs, said Mark Jones, who is also friends with Jacobson and Menne.
The wreckage is at a salvage yard in Pearblossom and will be inspected by officials from the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and the plane's manufacturer. A preliminary report is expected to be issued in three days.
Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com
Ellie