`IT'S A MIRACLE'; EMERGENCY LANDING CLIPS SCHOOL BUSES.Byline: Jesse Hiestand, Steve Carney and Troy Anderson Staff Writers A pilot miraculously averted disaster when he made an emergency landing Wednesday in a busy intersection, clipping (1) Cutting off the outer edges or boundaries of a word, signal or image. In rendering an image, clipping removes any objects or portions thereof that are not visible on screen. See scissoring. See also WCA. two school buses but causing only two minor injuries. The twin-engine Cessna 402 lost power and landed two blocks short of Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. , touching down on Hayvenhurst Avenue and crossing Parthenia Street as two buses entered the intersection from opposite directions. The timing was so perfect that the plane threaded between the buses, having its wings sheared sheared adj. Shaped or finished by shearing, especially cut or trimmed to a uniform length: a sheared fur coat. Adj. 1. off before rolling to a stop. ``If it had been a half-second later, the plane probably would have plowed nose-first into the westbound school bus,'' said Rick Lewis, 23, who watched the crash from his front yard. ``Those kids probably would have been killed,'' he said. Firefighters and police said the pilot's skill prevented a disaster during the 2:50 p.m. landing. ``You had a plane coming down at full landing speed and two school buses full of kids - it was a miracle that there were not more serious injuries,'' said Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police Lt. Willie Guerrero. ``The pilot did an extremely brave and efficient job.'' The plane was en route from Bullhead bullhead, common name for several species of fish. See catfish; sculpin. bullhead Any of several species of North American freshwater catfish in the genus Ictalurus, valued as food and sport fishes. Bullheads are related to the channel catfish (I. City, Ariz., to the Van Nuys Airport, the busiest general aviation field in the country. The identity of the pilot and owner of the plane were not immediately available. After losing its wings, the plane rolled a quarter-mile before stopping on Hayvenhurst Place, near a Federal Express depot and the Ice-o-Plex skating rink. Lewis said the near-tragedy appeared to be a stunt. ``It was almost like it was set up for a movie,'' he said. ``He tore the engine cover off one bus, pretty much'' and poked a large hole in the other, while shearing four feet off each wingtip, Lewis said. The pilot jumped out of the plane. ``He got out and was kind of leaning up against the plane. He asked if anybody was hurt back at the buses,'' Lewis said. ``I think his legs were a little weak.'' Lewis said the pilot told him he ran out of fuel and couldn't reach the airport. Fearing he would hit power lines above the intersection if he tried to continue his flight, the pilot decided to set down on Hayvenhurst, Lewis said. ``There wasn't anything the pilot could've done about it,'' he said. ``Unfortunately, he couldn't make it to Van Nuys.'' Bystanders fearful of dripping fuel yelled yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. for the students' evacuation, but Lewis said the buses were merely leaking coolant coolant (kōō´l  nt),n . He said the bus drivers were checking on their young charges. The larger bus was carrying 42 students, coming home from Parthenia Elementary School elementary school: see school. , and the other bus carried five special-needs students from Lassen Elementary School. A 6-year-old student complaining of a headache was listed in fair condition at Northridge Hospital Medical Center Northridge Hospital Medical Center is a hospital in the Northridge town of Los Angeles, California, USA. It is currently operated by Catholic Healthcare West. History The hospital was founded in 1955 by Dr. . Corliss Thompson, 33, who was driving the bus with Parthenia Elementary students, was treated for back pain and also was in fair condition, officials said. A student aboard Thompson's bus, Michelle Hamilton Michelle Hamilton (born Roxanna Platt on 20 December 1948 in Elmira, New York) was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its March 1968 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by William Figge and Ed DeLong. Roxanna's father was killed in the Korean War. , 8, said Thompson slammed on the brakes when she saw the airplane approaching the intersection. ``A piece of the tail broke,'' Michelle said. ``Everybody said, Ow, that hurts. Some of them were crying, but the bus driver told us to `Be quiet. I can't concentrate.' '' Students on the buses were checked by paramedics and taken to Parthenia Street Elementary to meet their parents. ``It was a miracle,'' said Canoga Park resident Leslie Buckner, the parent of Parthenia Street student Jevary Buckner, 8. ``I believe God had his hand on every last one of these children. It's a miracle It's a Miracle was a television show that aired on PAX-TV (now Independent Television) between September 6, 1998 and September 1, 2004.[1] Initially hosted by Richard Thomas[2], and later by Roma Downey, [3] my son is still here today.'' ``I was scared,'' said 8-year-old Francisco Hernandez. ``An airplane touched down and didn't stop. Next time I think they need to see where they're going.'' The crash was under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control . Several residents of this neighborhood said they are not concerned about the potential dangers of living in the airport flight path. ``They land right through my back yard. I've been here 22 years and you get used to it,'' said Jack Lester
Airport spokeswoman Stacy Geere said crashes and even forced landings are extremely rare at Van Nuys, although specific figures were not immediately available. ``We've always been proud of the safety record,'' she said. Daily News Staff Writer Lisa Van Proyen contributed to this story. CAPTION(S): 4 photos, map Photo: (1 -- color) A firefighter leads children away from their school bus after it was clipped by a plane making an emergency landing on Hayvenhurst Avenue. David R. Crane/Daily News (2 -- color) The pilot sits in the downed Cessna 402's hatchway Wednesday as investigators ask about the circumstances of his forced landing. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News (3 -- color) Crumpled crum·ple v. crum·pled, crum·pling, crum·ples v.tr. 1. To crush together or press into wrinkles; rumple. 2. To cause to collapse. v.intr. 1. parts of plane and bus litter the intersection of Hayvenhurst Avenue and Parthenia Street after an emergency landing resulted in a collision that sheared a section of the Cessna's wing off and mangled the front end of the school bus Wednesday. David R. Crane/Daily News (4 -- color) A crash investigator surveys the damage to a plane that landed Wednesday on Hayvenhurst Avenue. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Map: North Hills site of emergency landing |
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