WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. — A modern-day adventurer shared his story with KIRO 7 News of how he survived a plane crash in Spokane.
Robert DeLaurentis is an established aviator, author, airport owner, and real estate businessman who lives on Whidbey Island.
On Monday, he was flying his plane ‘Citizen of the World’ across the state to celebrate the completion of a documentary called ‘Peace Pilot.’ The film, which was released just a few weeks ago, is about his nearly nine-month polar circumnavigation.
“I’ve flown in cyclones in Madagascar and -60 Celsius over the south pole,” he told KIRO 7 News. “It’s been through a lot so that was just going to be another instrument approach.”
His modified 1983 Gulfstream Twin Commander 900 didn’t cooperate, though. DeLaurentis told KIRO 7 that as he went in for his final approach at Felts Field, he turned and went to advance the throttle, but it didn’t work.
“I heard this loud popping sound from each side and a lot of vibration, and I later found out that’s the compressors stalling inside the engines,” he recounted.
DeLaurentis said he was still awake when he hit the ground, and his years of experience kicked in.
“There’s a saying, ‘you always fly the plane to the scene of the crash, meaning you continue to try and fly the plane even if you’re on the ground,’ so you would still have some rudder control.”
He said the landing gear collapsed, so the belly of the plane skid a good distance. He eventually came to a stop and walked away from the crash without a single injury. DeLaurentis said his plane had over 300 gallons of jet fuel in it and it didn’t leak at all.
“The fire department showed up and the comment was, ‘Oh bad landing,’ and I said, ‘Any landing you walk away from is a good one.’”
He told KIRO 7 it was a bittersweet moment.
“I had a big part of my life put into that plane. So many hours, so much love. It’s hard.”
He hopes he will be able to rebuild it but if not, he plans to display the fuselage at DeLaurentis Airport so its spirit will fly on.
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