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Pilot Escapes Serious Injury In Crash Of Antique Airplane

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Jason Odra

Published: February 25, 2008

A small airplane flipped upside down while attempting to land at the Venice Airport today, but the pilot escaped with minor injuries.

Siesta Key retiree Ralph Gorenstein, 67, scraped a shin in the accident. He was more upset about the damage to his airplane, a 1930 WACO single-engine biplane, his wife Pamela said. A dollar figure for the amount of damage to the antique plane was not available, though a news release from the city termed it "considerable."

Gorenstein, a pilot with 25 years of experience, bought the restored classic in December and had been learning to fly the rare aircraft, Pamela said.

He was landing at the Venice Airport around noon Monday when the airplane flipped over.

Pamela Gorenstein said the aircraft is hard to land because it is front-heavy and has a small tail rudder. Her husband had nearly come to a complete stop when the plane fishtailed and swung to the right. He hit the brakes and "because it's front heavy it just tipped somehow," she said.

The airplane flipped over, with the wheels in the air and the wings flat on the runway.

Venice police and firefighters were called to the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate, Venice spokeswoman Mary Holcombe said.

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