A quick-thinking teen pilot has earned her social media wings after a photo of her emergency landing on a metro Atlanta golf course went viral.
The photo of 17-year-old Sierra Lund, posted this past week by the Peachtree City Police Department/Peachtree City Fire Rescue on its official, public Facebook page, had been shared more than 1,000 times. Her mom, Steph Lund, provided some details.
“Hi! This is Sierra’s relieved and very proud mom,” she posted on the Peachtree City page. “Sierra was in the process of completing one of her solo cross countries which is a requirement for student pilots. After takeoff the engine went out and she had to make an emergency landing.”
Sierra’s training kicked in and she was able to bring the aircraft down near the 11th tee at Planterra Ridge Golf Club in Peachtree City.
“As a parent of a student pilot you often wonder if your child will stay calm and recall what she has been trained to do,” Steph Lund posted. “Happy to report Sierra did just that!”
Sierra’s grace under pressure earned her a slew of positive, encouraging comments, for which her family is grateful. The harrowing ordeal won’t keep the young aviator out of the sky.
“The first thing she said when her dad arrived was, ‘I need to finish my cross country!’” her mom posted. “This did not shake her confidence.”
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