A 73-year-old Fort Meade, Fla. man escaped serious injury Thursday, March 4 when he was forced to make an emergency landing with his aircraft in a Wakulla County field just south of the Leon County line, according to Sheriff David Harvey.
Robert D. Mitchell left Bartow earlier in the day and was planning a refueling stop in Quincy when he realized that he did not have an oil pressure reading. A short time later the 1955 Cessna 170’s engine began to sputter.
Wakulla and Leon County law enforcement officials monitored the progress of the pilot shortly before noon as he attempted to locate a safe place to land. He picked a field off McDaris Lane in northern Wakulla County.
Mitchell was able to land his plane without incident. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials were contacted about the incident and released the plane without further action.
The victim made arrangements to have the plane relocated. The pilot was in good spirits after landing his plane and gave away tangerines from a South Florida grove to emergency officials as they investigated. Mitchell told investigators that he has owned the aircraft since 1971.
A number of Wakulla County law enforcement officials responded to the scene. Lt. Brad Taylor was the investigating officer filing the report