Plane Crash Dangerously Close to My House

[wade moore]

Video Link - http://www.wvec.com/sharedcontent/Vi...01312&catId=44

Story Link - http://www.wvec.com/news/local/stori....301713b2.html

Florida couple critically injured in plane crash

01:38 PM EST on Monday, November 13, 2006

13 News Click to watch video

A husband and wife were critically injured late Sunday morning when their plane crashed on takeoff from the Williamsburg/Jamestown Airport.
Karl Fix, the pilot, and his wife Ingrid, both in their 50s, were returning to their St. Petersburg, Fla., home after spending Saturday night in Williamsburg. Their single-engine plane, a Piper Cherokee Lance 180, crashed about 30 feet up into a tree and exploded just after leaving the runway at about 11:30 a.m.
The Fixes were taken to VCU Medical Center, where they remained hospitalized Sunday night.
The charred wreckage remained lodged in the tree Sunday evening as Federal Aviation Administration investigators tried to determine the cause of the crash.
Lisa Waltrip saw the flames and ran to the scene.
"It was in the tree, on fire, and (there were) continually sparks, noises like explosions and stuff," she said.
Dena Waltrip, Lisa's sister, also ran to help and found the 56-year-old pilot and his wife on the ground below the plane.
"He was saying she was stuck for awhile but he got her out, and (he) kept asking if she was okay," Dena Waltrip said.
Ingrid Fix was badly burned, but windy conditions at the time kept rescue helicopters grounded, so the couple was evacuated by ambulance.
FAA investigators don't know whether the rainy and windy conditions caused the crash, but the Waltrip sisters said the plane appeared to be fluctuating up and down as it tried to gain altitude.

So, this airport is less than a 1/2 mile as the crow flies from my house. It's basically behind the woods (with a few other houses in between). So, I know basically where this thing crashed and it is again, less than .5 miles down the road. I don't know how I didn't hear the explosion Sunday morning, or if I heard it and thought it was the guys shooting their rifles in the woods, a backfire, or something.

The airport is a little regional airport that only has like 2-3 person planes and small helicopters fly in/out of it. I've always known that sure this risk was there, but man is it scary to think that this thing could have easily crashed directly into my house (not a bad thing if no one is home, but i digress).

Unfortunately the wife has since died and the husband/pilot is still in critical condition.

[King of New York]

It was inevitable that that sort of thing would happen someday. We've got so many older folks (80+) flying in and out of Williamsburg every weekend that somebody was bound to crash--and, as you say, there are a lot of populated targets for them to hit all around the airport. As sorry as I am to hear about the injuries suffered by those on board, I am glad that no one got taken out on the ground.

My wife used to live in that part of town, and she always half expected a plane to hit her apartment complex. My in-laws still live over there.

Now I live on the west end of town--less chance of a plane hitting my house.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by King of New York

It was inevitable that that sort of thing would happen someday. We've got so many older folks (80+) flying in and out of Williamsburg every weekend that somebody was bound to crash--and, as you say, there are a lot of populated targets for them to hit all around the airport. As sorry as I am to hear about the injuries suffered by those on board, I am glad that no one got taken out on the ground.

My wife used to live in that part of town, and she always half expected a plane to hit her apartment complex. My in-laws still live over there.

Now I live on the west end of town--less chance of a plane hitting my house.

Wait.

Hold the phones.

You live in Williamsburg?!

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by King of New York

It was inevitable that that sort of thing would happen someday. We've got so many older folks (80+) flying in and out of Williamsburg every weekend that somebody was bound to crash--and, as you say, there are a lot of populated targets for them to hit all around the airport. As sorry as I am to hear about the injuries suffered by those on board, I am glad that no one got taken out on the ground.

My wife used to live in that part of town, and she always half expected a plane to hit her apartment complex. My in-laws still live over there.

Now I live on the west end of town--less chance of a plane hitting my house.

On the issue at hand...

Yeah, It definitely was a risk. Like they said, no control tower, some of the people running it are quite old (and it's all nepotism within the Waltrip family, so I don't know whether they're highly trained or not), and tons of trees and homes - including the very retirement community where many of the pilots come from.

Like I said, a part of me wishes it WOULD have hit my house as I a part of my would love for my old house to get burnt down (without me, my fiancee, or my dogs in it) so that insurance will replace it. Problem with the plane crash, is I wouldn't want someone to get hurt in the process - so there goes that idea!

The scary thing about the airport is the Waltrips are slowly trying to by up houses and land now so that they can push through, eventually, to allow LARGER planes.

Interesting side note: My house was owned by a Waltrip 2 owners before me.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Wait.

Hold the phones.

You live in Williamsburg?!

Even I know where the Great Dismal Swamp is, wade.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Even I know where the Great Dismal Swamp is, wade.

I know, i know..

But I never paid attention to that to be honest ... I just saw his screen name and figured "oh, he's from New York"...

[JeeberD]

I always thought that his location was describing New Jersey... :o

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Even I know where the Great Dismal Swamp is, wade.

And in my defense, the dismal swamp is in Suffolk.. there are other people in hampton roads on FOFC, just not in williamsburg ...

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

I always thought that his location was describing New Jersey... :o

Same here. Who knew it extended all the way to Virginia?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Same here. Who knew it extended all the way to Virginia?

Actually, at one time, Jersey shipped a lot of their trash via barge to VA... not sure if they still do or not.

[King of New York]

Yup, Williamsburg has been home to me for, well, almost a decade. And I'll admit to taking some slight geographical liberties with the location of the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp

There's some guy on the SI boards who lists his residence as Williamsburg, VA, too. We're everywhere these days.

As for making the Williamsburg airport bigger: sheesh, just what we need, guys in their private jets roaring over Route 199 at 500 feet.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by King of New York

Yup, Williamsburg has been home to me for, well, almost a decade. And I'll admit to taking some slight geographical liberties with the location of the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp

There's some guy on the SI boards who lists his residence as Williamsburg, VA, too. We're everywhere these days.

As for making the Williamsburg airport bigger: sheesh, just what we need, guys in their private jets roaring over Route 199 at 500 feet.

See, I wasn't crazy for not realizing it...

Anyway, cool to see someone else from here... It's a unique town that I love that I just don't see people on here being from here.

Anyway, yeah, I'd hate to see bigger planes, but if thy want to offer me top dollar for my lot/house, I'll bite ...

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by wade moore

See, I wasn't crazy for not realizing it...

Anyway, cool to see someone else from here... It's a unique town that I love that I just don't see people on here being from here.

Anyway, yeah, I'd hate to see bigger planes, but if thy want to offer me top dollar for my lot/house, I'll bite ...

Where else can you see an 18th century doctor smoking a cigarette while she gases up her volkswagon?

[SFL Cat]

If you're a Navy Seal based in the Norfolk / Va. Beach area, you're probably very familiar with the Great Dismal...

[King of New York]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Where else can you see an 18th century doctor smoking a cigarette while she gases up her volkswagon?

True that.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Where else can you see an 18th century doctor smoking a cigarette while she gases up her volkswagon?

You forgot - and not think it's strange.

[SFL Cat]

Personally, I always loved to visit Williamsburg during the "Lighting of the Green" to start the Christmas season. Just a great, great place to visit.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

Personally, I always loved to visit Williamsburg during the "Lighting of the Green" to start the Christmas season. Just a great, great place to visit.

"Grand Illumination" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Illumination)

Yes, I LOVE Grand Illumination. The Christmas season in general is much of why I love living here. In the 9 years I've been here, I think I've been to 6 or 7 Grand Illumination events. I went to 4th of July once, and it doesn't hold a CANDLE (get it, candle?) to the Grand Illumination fireworks show.

Once it gets into mid-december, I love walking through the colonial area, enjoying the little firepot things... it just feels like Christmas big time..

This goes back to http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...40&postcount=8

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by wade moore

"Grand Illumination" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Illumination)

Yes, I LOVE Grand Illumination. The Christmas season in general is much of why I love living here. In the 9 years I've been here, I think I've been to 6 or 7 Grand Illumination events. I went to 4th of July once, and it doesn't hold a CANDLE (get it, candle?) to the Grand Illumination fireworks show.

Once it gets into mid-december, I love walking through the colonial area, enjoying the little firepot things... it just feels like Christmas big time..

This goes back to http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...40&postcount=8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Christmas_Tree