Air Races Founder Crashes Plane Near St. Thomas (SEE VIDEO)
Lucky to just suffer broken ribs
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The founder of the Red Bull Air Races needed to put every bit of his skills to the test this afternoon.
He's a bit banged up, but otherwise okay after he was forced to make an emergency landing approximately two kilometres south of the St. Thomas airport.
Hungarian pilot, 53-year-old Peter Besenyei, is lucky to be alive.
According to a statement by Red Bull Air Races, Besenyei left St. Thomas airport about 1:50 p.m.
He was headed for Niagara Falls.
Within a couple moments, he was experiencing technical problems, but managed to put the Red Bull racing plane down in a cornfield about 2 1/2 kilometres south of the airport.
He was taken to hospital in St. Thomas where he is reportedly being treated for a couple of broken ribs.
Besenyei is a world champion racing pilot, and in the flying world he is considered a major star.
Provincial police are holding the scene for the time being. Transport Canada will be heading up the investigation.
