Fog forces helicopter to land in Steinmart parking lot

COOPER CITY, Fla. (WSVN) -- Foggy conditions forced a helicopter pilot to make an emergency landing in the parking lot of a shopping center.

Pilot Paul Appleton made a safe landing just after 11 p.m., Tuesday, at the Steinmart along Flamingo Road. Appleton said he took off with a passenger from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport when weather conditions were fine.

"It had cleared up, and it was unrestricted visibility, calm winds, a beautiful night for flying," said Appleton, "and me another pilot friend of mine decided to fly the coast to Tamiami Airport."

After refueling at Tamiami Airport, they took a second flight. "The fog, which was not in the forecast at all, it just came in out of absolutely nowhere," said Appleton, "and the ceiling started getting less and less."

The fast moving fog made for very dangerous conditions, forcing the pilot to land the helicopter as soon as a possible. "I saw this parking lot here, which is a very, very suitable landing place," said Appleton. "I didn't want to take any chances and continue flight because if the fog had gotten worse, then I would've passed up a perfect place to land."

Appleton landed safely in the Steinmart parking lot and he and his friend suffered no injuries. "Few minutes later, the Sheriffs show up and I explained to them what was going on," he said. "They were professional, friendly."

Appleton, and his passenger, have since taken off from the Steinmart parking lot to return to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

Almost two years ago, to this day, Appleton and a friend were taking still photos of Sun Life Stadium from a helicopter on Super Bowl Sunday, when a buzzard crashed into the chopper's windshield. The passenger captured the bird strike on camera and had to hold on to the bird as Appleton made an emergency landing. "It just happened so fast, there was no time to be scared," said Appleton after that incident.

He and his friend landed safely and the bird flew off.

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