Authorities Say No Injuries From Accident In Sarasota County

An AirCam has gone down in Sarasota County, FL, making what was described as a "hard landing" but resulting in no injuries to the pilot, the only person on board at the time.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office were joined by units from the Sarasota County Fire Department in responding to the accident, which occurred on undeveloped land near the Hunter's Creek Subdivision in Sarasota just after noon on Sunday, according to television station WWSB. The airplane, reported to be a 2010 model, was being piloted by 69-year-old Henry Hinman.

It was not known why Hinman made the forced landing. The plane struck some powerlines as it landed causing a "very limited" power outage in the region. Authorities also reported "minor damage" to the airplane.

According to the AirCam website, the airplane is manufactured by Lockwood Aircraft Corporation in Sebring, FL, about an hour south of Orlando. The AirCam is offered as a kit, and is powered by two Rotax 912ULS engines. The manufacturer says that the airplane was first conceived as a camera platform for the National Geographic Society, but that the first airplane looked much different than current examples. That first aircraft was shipped to the Congo and flown for National Geographic by Phil Lockwood.

(AirCam image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.lockwoodaircraft.com