Pilot Lands Seaplane on Busy Phoenix Street Without Hitting a Single Car or Person
A routine joy ride turned into a harrowing emergency April 12 when a small plane lost power over central Phoenix and its pilot landed on one of the city’s busiest streets — with all three people on board walking away unharmed.
Mike Tragarz, the pilot, said decades of flying experience helped him bring the aircraft down safely near 7th Street and Camelback Road. He broke his silence about the emergency landing in interviews with local news outlets.
“Experience does pay off. I have to say that,” Tragarz, who has more than four decades of flying experience, told KNXV.
The Planes Engine Quit at 2,500 Feet
The flight was supposed to be a simple trip around the Valley after taking off from Hangar Hacienda, a private runway in Laveen. Three people were aboard. Less than 20 minutes into the flight, the engine gave out at about 2,500 feet.
“I was just dialing in Sky Harbor frequency to declare the emergency, and that’s when we started losing power,” Tragarz said.
As altitude dropped, Tragarz realized he would not make it to the airport.
“I was about to call for a mayday to Sky Harbor to try to make it to Sky Harbor, and that’s when I noticed we were not holding altitude. We were descending. We had lost power,” he said.
He made a split-second decision, telling his passengers they were going down.
“I just stopped everything and said to these guys, ‘We’re going to land, we’re going down. I’ve got to find a place to land,’” Tragarz recalled.
A Clear Road at the Right Moment Made the Landing a Success
Tragarz scanned the area below and spotted an opening on 7th Street.
“I looked down there and saw 7th Street, and it was clear,” he said. “And I said, ‘Well, that’s where we’re going.’”
The aircraft was a Republic RC-3 Seabee, a 1940s-era amphibious plane designed to take off and land on both water and traditional runways.
Security footage captured the aftermath: a car passed through the scene, and moments later the plane slid down the street in the opposite direction, struck a water main and came to a stop.
Emergency crews found the aircraft on the roadway. All three people exited the plane on their own. None suffered serious injuries, and nobody was taken to the hospital. The landing damaged a fire hydrant, and roads in the area were temporarily closed.
Phoenix Fire Captain DJ Lee marveled at the outcome given the location.
“It’s 100 percent a miracle,” Lee said, per Arizona’s Family. “This is a very busy street. It’s always busy, but for whatever reason, when he crashed in this little area, all of the traffic was away.”
Carol Sperr, who was getting off a bus nearby, described the surreal scene.
“You’re shocked, thinking what’s going on. I was driving my wheelchair on the sidewalk, and I got to the German Auto, and I saw an airplane coming four feet above my head,” Sperr said.
Passengers Credit Pilot’s Quick Thinking
The passengers also spoke out, expressing gratitude for Tragarz’s actions.
“At the last moment, he dipped his wing to not hit the street sign, which was amazing,” passenger Hanan Haskell said, per 12News.
“He saved us. He made the right decision at the right time. Everything was just perfect,” one passenger told KNXV.
Tragarz told KNXV the physical damage was surprisingly minor: “The only thing we have damaged here are the seats.”
Investigators say the plane likely went down due to engine trouble, and a federal investigation is underway to determine the exact cause.
Tragarz summed up the experience with a pilot’s perspective.
“Every landing you can walk away from is a good one. And yeah, it wasn’t smooth, it wasn’t pretty, but yeah, we’re very fortunate.”
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
