The safe landing was a miracle, said Capt. Michael Connor, a commanding officer at the station.
‘The pilot was trying to control it’
“The plane ... literally hit the ground and then it bounced. It was clear that the pilot did not have complete control of the plane because it bounced some more, it swerved and tilted left and right,” she said. “The pilot was trying to control it but couldn’t, and then all of a sudden it smashed into something.”
The plane skidded from the runway into the St. Johns River at 9:40 p.m. ET, but did not submerge.
Some oxygen masks deployed, and overhead bins opened up and sent belongings spilling out. Bormann said her identification, cash, credit cards, computers, phone and passport were sent flying to the seats behind her so she could not retrieve them.
The passengers onboard didn’t know what happened, she said. And they didn’t know where they were. For all they knew, Bormann said, they could have been in a river or they could have been in an ocean.
People weren’t screaming, Bormann said, because the flight staff worked quickly to give direction. Everyone on the aircraft helped one another to put on their life vests and then climb out onto the wing, into the water, onto the raft and over to the safety of land.
Soldiers, grandparents and children
The plane was carrying military personnel headed home, on vacation, or to get medical care. It included families, civilians, grandparents and children — all connected to the military.
There were also pets checked in the luggage compartment below. Bormann said they have not been rescued, and they likely didn’t make it. Fire rescue officials used a cable to pull an inflated raft with people to a nearby pier.
Naval Air Station Jacksonville said pets have not been rescued due to safety reasons. “Our hearts and prayers go out to those pet owners during this terrible incident,” it said in a Facebook post.
After the rescue, Bormann said, border control was processing the travelers. But most passengers don’t have the identification that authorities are asking for — those are back on the plane.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/04/us/military-plane-crash-bormann-passenger/index.html