An Airgo plane safely on the ground at Outland Airport in Mt. Vernon following an emergency landing. Photo courtesy of Mt. Vernon Professional Firefighters Facebook Page.
An Airgo plane with an instructor and two student pilots successfully made an emergency landing with a failed front landing gear at the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport Saturday night.
Mt. Vernon firefighters say the Piper PA44 was initially diverted to Mt. Vernon from the Centralia Municipal Airport and stayed in the air about an hour and a half to burn off fuel before making a low and slow landing with emergency crews standing by.
The front landing gear, which was visible only halfway down, failed when the plane hit the runway and the plane skidded down the runway with its nose down until coming to a stop. Emergency crews chased down the plane and immediately got the instructor and two student pilots out without incident. There was no fire.
Before completing the emergency land, the pilot had made a low flight across the runway so the position of the malfunctioning land gear could be seen from the ground. Efforts to take the gear up and put it back down failed to correct the problem.
Air Evac air ambulances were stationed at the airport along with Litton’s Ambulance in the event there were injuries. Jefferson Fire Protection District, Kell and Waltonville Firemen all provided mutual aid. Mt. Vernon Police and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department also stood by.
The plane is being kept at the Outland Airport to await an investigation into the incident by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Mt. Vernon Fire Department truck ready following an emergency landing at Outland Airport. Photo courtesy of Mt. Vernon Professional Firefighters Facebook Page.
