Wed, Sep 05, 2018
Landed A Plane On A Frozen Reservoir While Cockpit Was On Fire
The pilot who famously landed a de Havilland Twin Otter on the frozen Scituate Reservoir in 1982 with the cockpit on fire has Gone West.
The Providence Journal reports that Tom Prinster passed away at his home in South Kingstown last Tuesday at the age of 73.
While flying for regional carrier Pilgrim Airlines, Prinster's plane caught fire when the crew activated the alcohol-based windshield de-icing system. There was a co-pilot, Lyle Hogg, and ten passengers on board the February 21, 1982 flight. One passenger dies of asphyxiation, but everyone else survived.
The flight originally had been diverted to Green Airport, but the fire was growing worse and the crew knew they needed to land. The only available emergency landing site was the frozen reservoir.
Accounts of the accident described the fire in the cockpit as being so intense that the crew's headsets melted. Hoggs was found on the ice. He says he must have pulled it from his head and threw it out the window.
While Prinster's cause of death was not noted, his wife said he had suffered numerous health issues since the accident. He suffered burns over 70 percent of his body, and developed lung issues from smoke inhalation that plagued him the rest of his life.
Prinster earned his private pilot certificate while in high school. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy, and began his commercial aviation career following his service. After recovering from his injuries, Prinster briefly flew for Pilgrim again. After he retired from the airline, he worked as a flight instructor and drove a van for disabled people. He went back to school and studied English and counseling, starting a psychotherapy practice before finally retiring for good.
(Image of a modern variant of the Twin Otter from file)
More News
Runway Lead-in Light System Runway Lead-in Light System Consists of one or more series of flashing lights installed at or near ground level that provides positive visual guidance a>[...]
Aero Linx: Aviation Without Borders Aviation Without Borders uses its aviation expertise, contacts and partnerships to enable support for children and their families – at hom>[...]
Dave Juwel's Aviation Marketing Stories ITBOA BNITBOB ... what does that mean? It's not gibberish, it's a lengthy acronym for "In The Business Of Aviation ... But Not In The Busine>[...]
From 2010 (YouTube Version): Yeah.... This IS A Really Cool Job When ANN's Nathan Cremisino took over the lead of our Aero-TV teams, he knew he was in for some extra work and a lot>[...]
Also: Junkers A50 Heritage, Montaer Grows, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Vans' Latest Officially, the Carbon Cub UL and Rotax 916 iS is now in its 'market survey development phase'>[...]