Posted on 10/14/2006 5:47:08 AM PDT by FReepaholic
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Reform Party gubernatorial candidate Max Linn was hospitalized after engine failure forced him to land his plane on Interstate 4 near downtown Orlando Friday.
Witnesses said they noticed black smoke coming from Linn's Cessna 172 before it landed on I-4 near Orange Blossom Trail before 1:45 p.m. Friday, according to a Local 6 News report.
Linn was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center were he would likely be kept overnight.
"I think it is safe to say he is a very lucky man," Local 6's Louis Bolden said. "(He is) also an excellent pilot."
Linn's running mate Tom Macklin said Linn made an emergency landing in Lakeland after taking off from the St. Petersburg area Friday afternoon.
"Perhaps he was experiencing some problems or thought he was," Macklin said.
The plane was checked out and Linn headed for Orlando.
However, about 30 minutes after leaving Lakeland, Linn experienced engine failure in air and was forced to land on the I-4 median.
The incident snarled traffic on the major east-west interstate through central Florida for hours.
Both lanes of traffic were reopened after crews were able to push the plane into the median.
Before running for governor as a third party candidate this year, Linn was known in Florida political circles as a campaigner for term limits.
*ping*
Not really. If he was lucky, his plane would have made it to the airport.
If he was really lucky the mechanic in Lakeland would have found the problem... If he had a little more altitude he could have made executive ,, about 3 miles E/NE .. but he was restricted by the class B corridor...
I'm a little curious about the mechanics involved in all these recent small airplane problems.
"I'm a little curious about the mechanics involved in all these recent small airplane problems."
If another one happens in the next week or so, look for some federal legislation to 'fix' the issue.
Friday the 13th bump!
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