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EXCLUSIVE: Teen Pilot Who Landed Plane On Bridge In Ocean City Shares How He Survived New Mexico Plane Crash

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eyewitness News has an exclusive update about a teenage pilot, who safely landed a banner plane on a bridge in Ocean City last year. Landon Lucas, 19, was recently involved in another small place incident. 

He is sharing his survival story with CBS3.

For the second time in as many years, Lucas tells CBS3 he feels truly lucky to be alive. The latest incident happened last month when he was one of two people on board a small plane when it crashed in New Mexico.

For those who don't remember last July, Lucas grabbed the world's attention after he safely landed a small plane on a bridge in Ocean City as its engine failed. 

Last month, he was seriously hurt after the small plane landed upside down and the pilot was killed. But Lucas survived.

The crash happened while he was working in a ferry flight, helping fly a small plane to a pilot's home in Texas. The pilot, Lucas said, bought the 1940 single-engine plane in Wyoming, but the plane crashed upside down in New Mexico.

"I really don't remember touching down in this incident. But I can imagine touching down on the bridge must have felt a little better than this one," Lucas said.

Jerry Herrera witnessed the plane go down and told police, "I saw the aircraft flying and it looked like it was losing power," according to a New Mexico State Police incident report obtained by CBS3.

Investigators are still working to determine how the plane came down.

Landon tells CBS3 he broke almost every bone below his waist, his spine, several ribs and both legs. He also lost about a dozen teeth, but he was determined to survive.

EXCLUSIVE: Teenage Pilot Who Landed Plane On Bridge In Ocean City In 2021 Shares How He Survived New Mexico Plane Crash

"I actually managed to crawl out of the airplane with all of these injuries by myself and it's kind of just crazy. It's always scary getting out of an upside-down airplane in good condition and I managed to do it in that condition, so I guess it's something that I shouldn't keep as a fear of mine anymore," Lucas said.

Now, after seven surgeries, he is on the road to recovery.

"I guess I do have a guardian angel looking after me or someone up there looking after me," the Wyoming native said.

Lucas was the only passenger on board the small plane, he said.

He promises he'll be back in the skies after he recovers.

"The day I can fly an airplane, I'll be flying an airplane," he said.

He adds his goal of flying again is what's motivating him to heal.

If his recovery stays on schedule, he could be flying a banner plane across the jersey shore this summer.

You can follow his recovery here.

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