An airplane on approach to land at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport lost a propeller over the Indian River on Wednesday — narrowly missing a fisherman.

  • Propeller falls into river as plane approaches Melbourne airport
  • Prop just missed man fishing on bank of Indian River
  • Pilot reported issue, made it to airport safely

"I heard this giant splash over my shoulder," said Turner Breeden, who was fishing along the bank.

Just feet away from where he was at the base of the Eau Gallie Causeway, something had dropped in the water with authority. It wasn't a potential fish to catch, or frolicking dolphins.

"I turned around and saw a huge circle where the splash was. And I see this shiny thing," Breeden said moments after it happened. "I was looking up to see if anything was coming behind it."

He thought perhaps it came from a truck driving over the bridge. But "I walked up to it and sure enough, it looked exactly like a plane propeller," Breeden said.

There it was, floating about 50 feet off the bank.

Melbourne Police determined it fell from a plane preparing to land at the airport.

The pilot reported an issue but was able to make it to the runway safely.

Officers took the prop to the airport as part of the investigation.

For Breeden, he's grateful the aircraft part hit the water, not him.

We're waiting to hear back from airport officials about the plane and its pilot, and whether the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.