<p>A six-passenger aircraft veered off the main runway at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport shortly before noon Saturday when the plane’s landing gear collapsed. The pilot, a passenger, and a dog, were unhurt, officials said.</p>
A six-passenger aircraft veered off the main runway at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport around noon Saturday when the plane’s landing gear collapsed. The pilot, a passenger, and a dog, were unhurt, officials said.
“Upon landing, his right main gear collapsed,” said airport manager Sean Flynn. “That caused [the plane] to veer off the payment to the safety area, a grassy area just off the runway. We’re thankful nobody was hurt.”
Mr. Flynn said Federal Aviation Administration regulations prohibited him from identifying the pilot. The FAA could not be immediately reached for comment Saturday afternoon.
The airport fire department responded to the incident, backed up by mutual aid from several Island departments.
The airport was closed to all aircraft for about 30 minutes, then resumed operations with only one runway. That caused some delays among commercial and private aircraft who were required to use the airport’s shorter runway.
The aircraft, a twin-engine Cessna 340A, was built in 1975, according to FAA records, and is owned by Aviation Peter Corporation, a company registered in Middletown, Del. According to flightaware.com, the plane took off from Teterboro, N.J. at 11:35 a.m. Saturday.
According to Mr. Flynn, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the FAA, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division will look into the mishap, as part of a routine investigation.
By 4 p.m., the plane was repaired and moved off the runway area to the airport ramp.
Comments
THE CESSNA 340 IS A VERY WELL
chris robey sydney australiaTHE CESSNA 340 IS A VERY WELL PROVEN DESIGN AND WHETHER IT WAS BUILT IN 1975 OR 2015 WOULD NOT HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE. ARGUABLY THE CESSNA ENGINEERS WHO DESIGNED THE AIRFRAME AND THE LANDING GEAR IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES WERE AT LEAST AS TALENTED AS THOSE OF TODAY.
I would agree that the 340 is
Paul OhioI would agree that the 340 is a proven design. However, the two most common causes of a single gear collapsing are a fatigued part which cracks or the gear being rigged incorrectly. Neither of those were as likely when the plane was factory new as they are 40 years later.
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