The Belgian pilot was lucky to escape death when the plane ‘drifted’ to earth after a mid-flight emergency | World News
A Belgian pilot has a lucky escape after the small plane he was in apparently crashed mid-flight – only for an emergency parachute to deploy and save his life.
The incident happened near Bruges on Friday afternoon.
According to reports, witnesses heard an explosion and looked up to see the plane slowly descending to the ground.
Video shows the plane making its first nose landing on a road in Sint-Andries.
The pilot managed to walk off the plane and is being treated for minor injuries.
Officials said the pilot – who has not been named – was an experienced pilot.
And they claim that his life was almost certainly saved by the plane’s Ballistic Recovery System (BRS).
This special parachute can be fitted to light sport aircraft.
The plane stopped on its nose
One pilot told the HLN website: “If you pull the lever in an emergency, a rocket will fire with the parachute attached.
“I can’t comment on this particular situation, but it’s probably the safest option for the pilot.”
