Source: Robert Bastille | www.hyannisnews.com

A father, mother, and son are very fortunate to have made it to a Barnstable Municipal Airport runway where they landed safely after what was described as a “catastrophic” engine failure while in-flight somewhere out over Hyannis Port last evening.

According to Captain Jeffrey Huska of the Hyannis Fire Department, the single engine airplane “came in hot” shortly after 7:00 p.m. last evening, after engine pistons blew through part of the engine, causing oil to “let go,” covering the windshield, and filling the cockpit with smoke.

The family of three were on their way to Martha’s Vineyard, with the father flying the small plane, when the engine began failing somewhere out over Hyannis Port. It’s a miracle the plane had enough power to make it to Barnstable Municipal Airport on time. Landing the plane in those circumstances “took skill” according to Captain Huska, who was impressed with how calm the pilot seemed after landing safely, just having averted catastrophe with his family onboard.

Firefighters had to clean up an oil spill caused by engine parts breaking through the engine. The windshield was covered with oil and it is believed the pilot must have used instruments to find his way to the runway.

Captain Huska gave the family a ride back to the airport terminal and as you will see in the following HN Video, the plane was eventually towed back to Griffin Avionics.