As officials continue to figure out what caused a plane to crash Sunday in Dutchess County, aviation experts are applauding a teen's quick thinking that saved her life.

The 17-year-old Dutchess resident, who had been cleared to fly alone, went up like many other times before. However, on Sunday, officials say her single engine plane began experiencing engine failure just short of runway 17 at Sky Acres Airport.

Below her were high voltage power lines, marshland and houses.

"As she was getting ready to land, she started losing power," said aviation expert and attorney Sal Lagonia. "[She] wanted to make sure she avoided those power lines. So she put the thing down in a nice flight spat, which is exactly what you trained to do ... she did an excellent job."

The teen was able to walk away from the emergency landing.

Her dad, who happens to be a pilot and asked to remain anonymous, says she's a bit sore but is a tough young woman who has dreams of flying for a living with the Air Force.