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The new calls showed Merkle, 65, a Washington, DC resident, staying relatively calm through the terrifying ordeal that left him in a perilous condition about 100 feet off the ground as he awaited rescue from first responders in Montgomery County who rushed to the scene.
“I’ve flown into a tower northwest of the Gaithersburg Airport … One of the electrical towers. Our aircraft is pinned in the tower ... I don't know how long it will stay here," Merkle calmly explained to the 911 dispatcher on the other end.
Merkle described to the dispatcher that he and his 66-year-old passenger both suffered head injuries and the latter was also complaining of rib discomfort as the pair dangled in the sky while sirens could be heard ringing out below.
Despite his calm demeanor, Merkle explained that he was concerned about how long the plane would stay wedged in the tower before possibly plummeting to their deaths.
“I'm concerned about our articulation and possibly could slip out of this tower and go tail first onto the ground, and this is not a survivable distance.,” he said, though he mentioned that the plane hadn't moved much while they were trapped.
Merkle and his passenger both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and were treated for possible hypothermia after being stuck in the plane for several hours until it could be stabilized and the pair brought back down to Earth.
Both were hospitalized, and one was released on Monday, Nov. 28.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and Maryland State Police, though low visibility and a low-flying plane have both reportedly had an impact.
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