Jason Messenger, a senior instructor with Epic Aviation in New Smyrna Beach, was flying with student pilot Kenneth Barrett. They were about to land shortly before 9 a.m. Their Cessna 172RG's suddenly indications that the landing gear had not locked into place.
After unsuccessfully trying to recycle the gear, then bumping the malfunctioning right wheel into place by bouncing the aircraft's working wheels off the tarmac, an alternative plan was needed.
The plan was daring, difficult and cool as hell.
As emergency crews stood by, Epic Aviation president Danny Perna got behind the wheel of a Jeep and with two passengers, rolled out to the runway. The idea? Race under the airplane as it flew low overhead and tug the malfunctioning landing gear into place.
After two unsuccessful attempts, Perna and his team borrowed a 12-foot pole from firefighters. The plane made one more failed pass. Then an unidentified man reached out, extended the pole from the Jeep as it raced down the runway at about 65 mph and nudged the landing gear into a locked position.
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