No injuries in crash at area airport
By Turner Walston
Published in News on April 13, 2006 1:48 PM
KENANSVILLE -- No injuries were reported after a North Carolina Forestry Service aircraft crashed upon landing Wednesday afternoon at the Duplin County Airport.
After a routine fire patrol, an l-19 Bird Dog plan spun after touching down about 4:40 p.m., airport manager George Futrelle said. The spin caused one wing to rise, while the other wing scraped the ground.
The aircraft was piloted by David Bruce Henderson of Wallace. Forestry Service employee Steve Marshburn was the plane's only passenger.
"The pilot and passenger are fine, no injuries," Futrelle said. "No injuries, just a bad day for the pilot."
The aircraft suffered significant damage, he said, as the wreck tore out the right landing gear.
Futrelle said the runway was closed for less than an hour, and that there was very little debris. Less than a gallon of fuel leaked onto the runway, he said.
"The Kenansville Fire Department and local authorities were on the scene in no time," Futrelle said. "The fire department people helped us get the wings level, and then we were able to move it off to the side of the runway, where it's sitting right now."
Futrelle said the Forestry Service is using Duplin County Airport while the Wallace airport is undergoing repairs. Fire patrols are performed two or three times daily, he said.
Officials for the Forestry Service will return to the Duplin County Airport today to load the aircraft and take it to Kinston, Futrelle said.