Fuquay-Varina resident Mike Minor recounts the harrowing experience of a forced hard landing at RDU with his family and four dogs.
The originally Florida-to-Virginia flight took an unexpected turn due to technical difficulties.
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FAA data reveals that these occurrences happen more frequently than we might think, even in our own backyard—Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Cumberland County.
"We were coming into Harnett County to get fuel. Went through my checklist to put the gear down," Minor said. "I didn't feel the normal gear coming down and the airplane pitching up."
He diverted to RDU Airport in preparation for a larger emergency response.
WRAL captured the moment the aircraft became stuck on the runway.
"It was just like a normal landing, except the prop hit the runway, tried to keep the prop from spinning as it hit," Minor said.
These mishaps appear to be happening more often. We covered a plane crash in Cumberland County, injuring two people on Sunday.
In April, a plane ran off the runway at RDU, and the dramatic moment, a pilot made an emergency landing on the highway in Chatham County.
"Flying's alot of fun but it is serious business when you're responsible for the lives of your family aboard a personal flight," Minor, pilot made emergency landing said.
Minor says that whether you fly private or commercial, you should remember these tips if you find yourself in a frightening situation aboard a plane.
"You learn through training how to run through a progression of actions and mismanagement," Minor said. "Cockpit management, safety, using checklist, and the main thing is remaining calm."
The Minor family made it to their destination and attributed his training to the military.