Broward County - Friday November 3, 2023: Miami Dade Fire and Rescue (MDFR) hoisted a stranded pilot to safety Tuesday morning after his Cessna Skyhawk crashed into the Everglades in Southwest Broward County early Tuesday morning.
The plane left Okeechobee Airport and was flying south when it went down near Mack's Fish Camp, located at 18599 Krome Ave in Southwest Broward County. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said the pilot was the only person aboard the plane when it crash-landed around 2:20 a.m.
The pilot spent about eight hours sitting on the wing of his damaged aircraft which, was barely afloat in the gator and bug invested swamp.
"Due to the remote location of the incident and difficult terrain" an MDFR's Air Rescue North helicopter was called in. The chopper arrived on the scene about 10:20 a.m. to conduct a "hoist operation," according to a post on the MDFR Facebook page. The pilot was safely lifted aboard and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood where he was treated for minor injuries.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.