Skydive pilot safely jumps from plane before crash

A 21-year-old pilot is still in awe after he was forced to make an emergency jump out of his plane.

Shawn Kinmartin safely made it to the ground after his plane crashed into a Missouri field. What makes this story even more amazing is that this was his first time skydiving. Although Kinmartin flies planes for a skydiving service, he hadn't made the leap.

That all changed on Saturday when he lost control of his plane after a skydiver accidently hit part of the plane's tail during a jump.

"The two skydivers jumped out, they were the last two I had in my airplane," Kinmartin said. "The last skydiver on his way out struck the elevator of the aircraft."

That's the part of the tail that controls the aircraft's climb and descent.

For the next 10 minutes, Kinmartin fought to control the Cessna 182 as he headed back to the airport.

When he realized he would not be able to land the plane, he decided to bail and headed back to the farm fields.

Luckily, as part of a company rule, Kinmartin was already wearing a parachute.

"When I jumped out of the airplane, it was at 2,000 feet," he said. "So I only had 1,500 feet to the ground. And when I jumped out, the plane spiraled and crashed into the field over there. The wind carried me and I landed on this soybean field over here."

Kinmartin says the whole experience still feels surreal, especially when he looks at the pictures.

"Plane is completely destroyed and thinking if I was inside that plane and it crashed the way it did, I wouldn't be standing here," he said.