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Antique Airplane Flips On Runway In Venice

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Published: February 26, 2008

VENICE - A small plane flipped upside down while attempting to land at the Venice Municipal Airport on Monday, but the pilot escaped with minor injuries.
Siesta Key retiree Ralph Gorenstein, 67, only scraped a shin in the accident.

But he was more upset about the damage to his plane, a rare 1930 WACO bi-wing with a single-engine propeller, said his wife, Pamela.

An estimate for the amount of damage to the antique plane was not available, though a statement 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 it, Pamela Gorenstein said.

He was landing around noon when the plane flipped.

Pamela Gorenstein said the plane is hard to land because it is front-heavy and has a small tail rudder.

Gorenstein had nearly come to a stop when the plane fishtailed and swung to the right. He hit the brakes and "because it's front-heavy, it just tipped somehow," Pamela Gorenstein said.
Venice police and firefighters responded to the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate, Venice spokeswoman Mary Holcombe said in the statement.

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