Tampa Aviation Accident

There was an aviation accident right outside the Tampa North Aero Park on Thursday and the name of the pilot has now been released by the authorities. It was student pilot Gregory Daryl Johnson, 59, who tried to land the plane after running into difficulties shortly after takeoff. He skidded off the runway and collided with two cars that were parked in the parking lot of a business adjacent to the airport. Fortunately, the cars were unoccupied and Johnson escaped injury.

Many people are afraid of flying, and this understandable because there is very little margin for error and you don’t have the subtle peace of mind that comes along with having four wheels on the ground. But the fact is that the odds of being injured in an airplane crash are slim, and it is much more likely that you will be hurt while driving a car. You have an eleven million to one chance of being aboard an aircraft that crashes, but your odds of dying in a fatal automobile accident are one in 5,000.

It is clear that flying in and of itself does not present an inordinate amount of danger. But as the aviation accident in Tampa shows, it is challenging to learn how to pilot an aircraft safely. Johnson had just one previous solo flight under his belt, and even though strict licensing requirements are in place, no one can predict how an inexperienced pilot will react under circumstances he or she has never encountered before.

If you have been injured in a Tampa aviation accident, send the message that negligence will not be tolerated and contact us at 727-848-8892 to schedule a free consultation.