Pilot recalls moments after plane crashes off Florida Keys – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

KEY WEST, FLA. (WSVN) – A pilot freefell into the ocean off the Florida Keys after both of the engines from his plane went out, but a deputy nearby pulled him up from the water. Now that pilot is speaking out about his experience.

Adam Barney, a pilot with 10 years of experience, recalled the scary moments before he ran into an air emergency as he flew from Orlando to Key West on Sunday.

“It got real quiet and it was very very eerie,” said Barney in an interview.

When both of his plane engines suddenly stopped working, he reported the incident before the aircraft went crashing down. Barney remembered the ocean engulfing the plane after it crashed.

“It hit the water very violently,” recalled Barney. “I didn’t get scared till the plane had disappeared beneath me in the water.”

The 40-year-old man was able to grab a life vest and was helpless until the deputy arrived to rescue him. Barney said he struggled to stay afloat.

“I’m a good swimmer and it was hard,” he said. “It was hard to breathe with all the waves. The waves crash over the top of me. My life jacket started to deflate, so I had to manually inflate that every 10 minutes.”

After nearly one hour and 45 minutes, a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled him to safety.

Barney had enough energy to snap a selfie with his rescuer and he mentioned there are definitely lessons to be learned, like keeping better life jackets on board.

“This is definitely on the list of craziest experiences of my life,” said Barney.

Although the crash was an experience of a lifetime, Barney said he has no plans to stop flying.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

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