Pilot Injured In Emergency Landing Released From Hospital
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A pilot who was forced to make an emergency landing in the Everglades late last month was released from the hospital Friday.
"I feel great," said Ken McKenzie. "It's hard to believe how much time's gone by but it's nice to see what the outside of the hospital looks like."
McKenzie left Jackson Memorial Hospital in a wheelchair with his wife by his side. He's been recovering from second-degree burns he suffered when the single-engine plane he was piloting went down west of the Sawgrass Expressway late last month.
"They actually use a modified pig skin as a graft and it looks like it worked well on my face, my arm and my upper leg and now we need to see what happens with my lower leg," he said.
McKenzie and his wife were on their way to Virginia to see their daughter when the oil pressure dropped and the engine quit forcing him to make an emergency landing.
The 53-year-old managed to land the plane on a levee and was able to get out of the plane with his wife before it exploded in flames.
"I talked to the FAA today just to get an update and they moved what was left of the airplane to a different location and once I'm back on my feet and able to meet with them, they'll start their investigation into what happened."
McKenzie, who has a lot of experience flying planes, was a pilot with the Canadian armed forces for 14 years.
And although he still has some healing and physical therapy ahead of him, he says there's no doubt in his mind, he will fly again.
"I will. I just love the opportunity to be in the air flying, seeing the world from a really different perspective," said McKenzie.
