A 7 year old, Sailor Gutzler, walked away from a small plane crash in Kentucky. She was the only survivor. Her parents, sister, and cousin were on board. They were coming back from their Christmas vacation in the Key West, Florida to their home near Mount Vernon in Southern Illinois. Sailor's father was flying the Piper twin-engine aircraft which landed upside down in a wooded area in Lyon County. Her father, Marty Gutzler, was flying the plane in "inclement weather" when he made a distress call. Marty had been flying since he was 16 and logged in about 4,000 hours and taught as a flight instructor.
Sailor used her survival skills that were passed down by her father. She lit a stick using the flames from the burning wing and then walked three quarters of a mile through woods and creek before knocking on a homeowner's door for help. Sailor walked through the cold darkness with broken bones.
The homeowner that Sailor went to said that she was shaken up and she was dressed for Florida when it was 40 degrees outside.
She was treated at Lourdes Hospital in Kentucky.
The town this family is from is mourning these deaths.
The investigators are trying to find the cause of this fatal crash.
This girl is an brave girl to go off and get help even when she was broken, bloodied and scared. Being taught survival skills early is a good thing. For instance in this situation survival skills will save your life. This is a very tragic story but very amazing that this 7 year old can survive this crash and find her way to safety. It also takes a lot of courage and survival skills to survive in the 40 degree weather with very little clothes on and walked three quarters of a mile.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/girl-7-who-walked-away-plane-crash-had-survival-skills-n279016