BUTTE -A young Helena woman who’s training to be a pilot in Butte had a harrowing experience recently when she had engine trouble while flying a plane, but her skill and a cool head allowed her to land safely.
“Student pilot solo: I don’t think I have my engine. Zero Seven Quebec?” Claire Bebich said to the control tower.
“Zero Seven Quebec: Say again,” the control tower responded.
“I don’t have my engine, Zero Seven Quebec. I’m going down,” she said.
WATCH: "I don't have my engine. I'm going down." An 18-year-old student pilot kept her cool and landed safely after her engine failed at 500 feet
With that call to the control tower on April 15, 18-year-old student pilot Claire Bebich made the quick decision to land the Cessna she was flying in a nearby field.
“My engine failed on takeoff about 500 feet above the ground. I was by myself, so I made the decision to land in the field for my safety and others. So, I landed in the field,” Bebich said.
Her flight instructor doesn’t buy Claire’s casual description of what happened.
“Claire’s being really, really, really humble. What she did was amazing,” Butte Aviation Lead Instructor Madelyn Mitchell said.
Without engine power at that low altitude, Claire could not return to the runway. She was able to land in a field without damaging her plane.
“Losing your engine on takeoff is the worst possible place to lose your engine. You have no opportunities, no outs and nothing but your own skill to keep you safe, and she did that,” Mitchell said.
Claire credits her flight trainer for preparing her for emergencies.
“I don’t think it’s hit me yet that I’ve done it. People have congratulated me and said I did really well, but I don’t know, it’s just training,” Bebich said.
She’s preparing to get her certification soon.
