APRIL 6, 2015
ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
A four-seat airplane crashed while taking off at Queen City
Airport, but the pilot and his passenger escaped unharmed.
The Mooney M20J was trying to take off just after 1 p.m.,
when the pilot experienced engine trouble moments after lifting off, and dumped
the small plane in the grass just beyond the end of the nearly 4,000 foot
runway, said Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Executive Director Charles
Everett Jr.
After skidding through the crash continued down an incline,
where a 10-foot cyclone fence the marks the permitter of the airport caught the
aircraft just 20 yards before it rolled out onto Interstate-78, Everett said.
"It looks like he was trying to take off when he had
engine trouble," Everett said. "Without the fence, I'm not sure the
plane would have been able to stop before reaching the road. We're glad there
were no injuries."
Everett said the plane sustained major damage to its nose
and both wings.
The pilot and passenger were not immediately identified at
the scene, but the plane is believed to be based at Lehigh Valley International
Airport. Both men were walking around after the 1 p.m. incident, according to
scanner reports.
Assistant police chief Keith Morris said a plane hit a fence
on the side of the airport closest to Interstate 78. He said he didn't know
whether the incident happened on arrival or departure. He said the airport
authority is investigating the incident and police will assist if necessary.
Fire Capt. John Christopher said the plane suffered minor
damage, none to its fuel tank.
Christopher said the airport is still operating like normal
and there were no changes to air traffic. According to scanner reports, a plane
almost landed on an Allentown police cruiser that was on the runway
investigating the downed plane.
Everett said the crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Source: http://www.mcall.com/6abc.com
Then, a few hours later, emergency personnel were called out
to the Lehigh Valley Airport.
It's not clear what the emergency was.
The view from Chopper 6 showed a small plane at rest in the grass next to a runway.
It's not clear what the emergency was.
The view from Chopper 6 showed a small plane at rest in the grass next to a runway.