Investigation underway into the small plane that crash-landed in a Cape Coral neighborhood

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Crews were on the scene before sunrise, readying the airplane for transport to Jacksonville. Shortly after sunrise, they used a crane in the dismantling of the plane as they prepared for the approximately 300-mile journey north.

From there, the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate what forced the emergency landing.

The pilot brought down the plane in a Cape Coral neighborhood on Saturday around 10:00 a.m. It landed near Vogiantzis Parkway, Andalusia Boulevard, and Gator Circle.

Randy Scheall and his daughter Estella witnessed it all.

“We were just on the street right here. And the plane was traveling low, treeline westbound,” explained Randy.

“He made a last-ditch effort to hard bank on the street right here. That’s when we knew something wasn’t right,” he added.

They watched as the plane nosedived onto the street, and made an emergency landing. Both jumped right in to help.

“When I got out of the truck, I asked my daughter to call 911. For me, it was just safety to make sure he was okay. I mean, because your natural instincts come in. And when he got out of the plane, told him to cut off the fuel,” explained Randy.

The roads near the crash site reopened to traffic on Sunday morning.

The FAA told WINK News that the single-engine Bellanca 17-30A landed after the pilot reported a possible engine failure.

“It was just one pilot. He has no injuries at this time,” said Jason Orellana, a risk reduction specialist for the Cape Coral Fire Department.

The plane reportedly departed from the Pine Shadow Airfield in North Fort Myers.

Orellana told WINK News the pilot hit some powerlines on the way down, which is why he experienced a hard landing. The pilot walked away from the crash uninjured.

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