LIVINGSTON PARISH, La. (BRPROUD) – It’s bad enough to run out of fuel when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle. You pull over and try to figure out what to do.
But can you imagine the sheer panic that might overtake the pilot of an aircraft who’s soaring above ground when they realize they’ve nearly exhausted their fuel?
One pilot found themselves in this very situation as they were manning a small, single-engine plane across South Louisiana’s skies on a Sunday (December 18) afternoon.
It was a clear and beautiful day, but that didn’t matter upon realizing the plane had run out fuel.
Fortunately, the well-trained pilot was able to successfully land the aircraft along Livingston Parish’s Highway 1036.
The emergency landing went off without a hitch, according to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO).
Deputies said the pilot was the only occupant of the small craft, and they were uninjured.
LPSO added that the incident occurred around 1 p.m. and both LPSO and Livingston Parish Fire District 10 were on scene to offer assistance.
According to Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), “The rate for precautionary landings is 0.06 percent.”
The association adds that if pilots recognize a developing engine problem and can make a precautionary landing, they and their passengers will likely survive. T
