Two die in burning ultralight

The craft crashes within feet of a Zephyrhills house, but no one can save the passengers.

By ERIN SULLIVAN, Times Staff Writer
Published August 29, 2007

ZEPHYRHILLS - Christina Meier heard a whistling sound Tuesday evening, then an explosion. She ran out of her house on a secluded 5 acres just outside Zephyrhills and saw an ultralight aircraft burning in her neighbor's back yard.

Meier, 4-foot-8 and 44 years old, said she jumped a 5-foot wire fence and ran toward the blazing aircraft. She called 911, and the operator told her not to get near the wreck.

As she drew closer, she saw two men inside being consumed by fire. She said she had never felt so helpless in her life.

Another man came running across the field. Hoss Pridgen, 28, had seen the plane go down, too. He found a water hose nearby and doused the flames.

While emergency workers examined the wreckage, Pridgen smoked Marlboro reds and paced. Meier just sobbed, her shoulders heaving.

More and more people showed up along the 6200 block of Megan Lane, where the plane came to rest.

"Gawkers," Meier said, her voice filled with rage and despair.

"Two guys have just died," Meier said, wiping her tears on the shoulder of her T-shirt.

The ultralight plane took off from Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and, for reasons yet unknown, crashed around 6:30 p.m.

If the pilot was fighting to control a crashing craft and keep it from hurting anyone else, he accomplished that mission. The plane landed within feet of a house, a shed and a fishing boat on a trailer and didn't damage any of them.

Kevin Doll, a spokesman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, said he was unsure whether deputies or the Federal Aviation Administration would handle the accident investigation.

Doll would not release the names of the two victims.

Nancy Morin, who said she works at the Zephyrhills Airport, identified the pilot as a young instructor at Tampa Bay Aerosport.

The company sells ultralight planes and instruction courses. Morin said he took a friend who had never flown before for a 20-minute ride.

The pilot perished on his 20th birthday.

Erin Sullivan can be reached at 813 909-4609 or esullivan@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 29, 2007, 01:34:24]