AIRPORT SAFETY CONCERNS OAKLAND PARK

Nov. 5, 2007

The Sept. 21 crash landing of Wilton Manors pilot Robert Robertson near a grassy patch along Interstate 95 came too close for comfort for some Oakland Park officials and residents.

At a recent commission meeting, city officials met with Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Christine Teel and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport Manager Clara Bennett to discuss concerns about the airport's safety. Residents and commissioners expressed uneasiness over the facility since much of the airport's traffic flies over parts of Oakland Park. "Every day I hear and see planes flying over our city," said resident Anthony Niedwicki. "The airport produces benefits to Fort Lauderdale while some of the costs are passed down to Oakland Park with a possible catastrophic event occurring in our city and in my neighborhood."

Niedwicki cited the recent accident, when the cargo plane piloted by Robertson, 34, experienced engine trouble just after taking off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Robertson managed to land the plane on the southbound lanes, then slid off the traffic-filled highway just north of the Commercial Boulevard exit.

That was just a few hundred feet from Oakland Park's North Andrews Garden neighborhood, a community accustomed to hearing the sounds of airplanes taking off and landing at Executive Airport.

Oakland Park commissioners had hoped to ask to appoint an elected official or resident from its city to the Executive Airport Advisory Board, but Teel said the board is restricted to Fort Lauderdale residents.

Oakland Park City Manager John Stunson said the city "really can't impact any kind of policy at all ... since the Executive Airport is managed by the city of Fort Lauderdale."

Stunson said the city will continue to send Community Development Director Reagan Yarbrough to the airport's Technical Advisory Group and will periodically send a staff member to the airport's advisory board meetings.

For information on the airport, search for executive airport at www.oaklandparkfl.org or call the 24-hour Noise Abatement Hotline at 954-828-6666.

Elizabeth Baier can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4637.