Asmall airplane went down on Jan.4,2014 off the Southern California coast. The pilotsaid it never occurred to him that he wouldn't survive the 1.
"Iwas pretty 2, you look at the situation and you realizethis is what you have to 3. I knew what I needed to do," saidDavid Prizio. Prizio said he and his lone 4 were flying at 6500 feet when the engine 5 died.
"Idid some quick math and realized I wasn't going to make it to the 6,"said Prizio. So he decided to 7 andget the airplane down near some boats six miles northeast. "I wanted to 8infront of them, 9 theywould spot us."
Therush of water broke the glass. He broke a finger but was otherwise 10.His friend escaped injury. "We were lucky that the 11wassmooth and the plane didn't flip over," Prizio said.
Lifeguardsand helicopter were quickly 12 tothe scene, but a small boat reached the pair13.Drew Naffziger was on his way to Catalina Island with his brother and wife whenhe 14 theplane. "I told my brother, Hey, this plane is pretty15 and I don't hear an engine either. I think it'sgoing to crash."
Theplane went into the water 100 yards from his boat. The wheels 16first,and then its nose dipped in, sending its17straight up in the air. Thetwo men spent only minutes in the water. Naffziger18 them a life preserver and pulled them onto theboat. Naffziger's wife, a nurse, grabbed blankets to keep the two men19.
Priziosaid he would probably get another plane. "I was pretty nervous, but not sonervous that I won't 20again," he said.
