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This past weekend, golfers at one Northern California course received an unexpected scare during their round. On Sunday afternoon, the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento found themselves downrange when a small aircraft crash-landed on the premises.
As an avid pilot and golfer myself, I certainly know the level of skill and quick thinking required to pull off an emergency landing without serious injury. Based on my conversations with first responders and eyewitnesses, it seems the pilot showed both in droves on this day.
Captain Justin Sylvia of Sacramento Fire told me the pilot reported experiencing a mechanical failure just 400 feet above the ground. To put that in perspective, most fairways provide scant room for error from that altitude. Somehow, he was able to glide the plane onto an open section of the Haggin Oaks layout with just a minor hand laceration to show for it.
“He picked a golf course which is a pretty good location – nice and open,” Justin Sylvia said. “It’s very fortunate that no one was injured, including the pilot. He had a minor laceration to his hand.”
Given the congested airspace around many metro areas, the pilot certainly picked an ideal spot to take his emergency descent. A golf course provides wide open green spaces ideally suited for just such a scenario. While any accident is unnerving, at least at a course no structures or people were directly threatened.
Some of the golfers I spoke to who witnessed the remarkable landing were still visibly shook up despite no one being harmed. "We heard a boom, but we didn’t know what it was," said player Tim Cowan, a regular at Haggin Oaks. “This is a first. I guess cross it off my bucket list.”
Another staff member said seeing the plane touch down reminded him “I was out on a range – I work here and I was picking up balls Charlie Lewis “I’m grateful that nothing was too damaged. The clubhouse could have probably been completely destroyed,” said Charlie Lewis, an employee.
“I saw it and it was like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Lewis said. “It was pretty insane.”
Both as a pilot and golfer, I'm always aware of how thin the line is between routine and emergency. This story highlights the need for constant vigilance and emergency preparedness in both pursuits. It seems this pilot had both in ready supply when he needed it most. While an uncommon occurrence, his actions protected both the skies and the fairways below. It was certainly a feat that deserves praise and may give some golfers another reason to appreciate their local course.
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