Plane slides off runway at Albert Whitted Airport

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - There were some terrifying moments for the pilot and passenger of a small airplane after it slid off the runway into the water during a landing attempt at Albert Whitted Airport.

Friday morning, the Coast Guard says pilot Gerald Kerr and his passenger, Elizabeth Renyolds tried to land at Albert Whitted Airport, which is right on the water in downtown St. Pete.

The plane overshot the runway and instead of pulling back up, it ran off the runway and into the water.

Thankfully, the Coast Guard was nearby and saw it happen.

Meanwhile, a good Samaritan jumped in to help.

 “Her husband kept saying she don’t know how to swim! ‘She don’t know how to swim!’ And we put her on the tail. Then I swam her out to the Coast Guard and came back and got her husband and swam him back out,” Tracy Brunkel said. “it was devastating! And I’m so glad they are happy and healthy and I got them up and pulled them on that boat.”

By the time the Coast Guard arrived, the plane’s cockpit was halfway filled with water.