Pilot Survives Plane Crash Near Beach

The sheer sight left some in disbelief: a small, twin-engine Cessna wrapped around a utility pole, broken apart into pieces, and flipped upside-down along A1A in the tiny beachside town of Ocean Ridge.

"We saw it hit into the building and all of a sudden there was a big puff of smoke," said witness Sherri Minervino. "We all came running up off the beach, and when we came up this is what we saw: the plane flipped over, and the cockpit all around the pole. And, it's like, we thought the guy was dead."

The crash happened just before 1 pm. Dozens on the beach watched as the plane, flying low to the ground, apparently lost power. The aircraft hit the ground about 150 feet away from the beach.

"We heard a loud crash and looked around," said witness Liz McNair, "and I see a plane sliding down that pole. I screamed and I couldn't believe it."

Authorities say the pilot, Laurent Gillot of Boca Raton, was conscious when he was pulled out of the wreckage about 20 minutes after the crash. Gillot, 51, was the only person on board. He was taken to Delray Medical Center with injuries to his face.

The plane clipped the roof of the new Ocean Ridge Town Hall and police department. The building is still under construction, and was slated for an August 15th opening. 

The opening may be delayed because the front façade will now have to be replaced, said police investigator Chris Yannuzzi.

Nearly 1,300 people lost power after the crash. All but 39 had their power restored by 6 pm.