The Day a Car Saved a Plane 🛩️

A Critical Landing Gear Failure

In 1985, Scott Gordon, flying a single-engine Turbo-Arrow from St. Augustine’s airport, found himself in a precarious situation when one side of his landing gear failed to deploy. Facing a possible belly landing, Gordon and fellow air show veteran Jim Moser had to act fast.

A Daring Plan Takes Shape

Moser, on the ground, initially tried using a flatbed truck to help Gordon land, but when that didn’t work, they hatched a bolder idea. Moser sped down the runway in his Audi at over 90 mph, with mechanic Joe Lippo hanging out of the sunroof. As the plane flew just 10 feet above the ground, Lippo managed to pull the stuck landing gear free.

A Narrow Escape and Global Attention

The landing was bumpy, but successful. The dramatic rescue was captured on film by photojournalist Phil Whitley and was broadcast worldwide, featuring on shows like “Rescue 911” and “World’s Most Amazing Videos.” Despite accusations of a publicity stunt, Gordon and Moser insisted it was a genuine emergency.

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