Two Passengers On Board His Airplane Credit Him With Saving Their Lives

The pilot of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo that went down in western Broward County, FL, October 26th has passed away from injuries sustained in the accident.

Pilot Jim Townsend flew regularly for the Jacksonville, FL law firm Spohrer and Dodd, and was taking two of the firm's attorneys to south Florida when the accident occurred. The plane went down near U.S. Highway 27 in the Everglades. The two attorneys, Robert Spohrer and Steven Browning, sustained only minor injuries in the accident.

But Townsend sustained two broken legs, and was trapped in the cockpit by the instrument panel. The two attorneys told television station WJXT that they tried to get him out of the plane, but were unable to do so. He was not extricated from the wreckage until first responders arrived on the scene and cut the roof off the airplane.

The NTSB has not yet released its preliminary report from the accident.

The attorneys on the plane said that Townsend skillfully kept the plane under control and brought it down in such a way that they were able to survive with only minor injuries.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov