Monroe man survives small plane crash - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Monroe man survives small plane crash

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A Monroe County plane crashes just moments before landing and it's all caught on tape.

Sunday night Ian Zawacki was on a quick leisure flight with his grandfather Wilbert Matthes, an experienced lite sport pilot.

The pair were coming in for a landing at a private air strip in Monroe Township, when the plane clipped an electrical wire, sending the plane into a nose dive.

Ian happened to be recording video on his cell phone right before the crash, catching the entire thing on tape.

Right after slamming into a cornfield, Ian sprung into action trying to call for help and free his grandfather, who's 84, from the wreckage.

Amazingly, the college student and his grandfather are both expected to be ok.

Matthes owns the Matthes Tree Farm in Ida Township. He has a fractured sternum, but is expected to recover. The 2-seater Kit Fox experimental plane is totaled.

As for Zawacki, he is preparing for his next year of college and says despite the near death experience, he plans on takin to the sky again soon.


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