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Unhappy Landing

Thu, 09/16/2021 - 06:53

A first-time visitor to the East Hampton Airport had trouble landing his single-engine plane last Friday afternoon, crashing it through a security fence and onto Daniel's Hole Road. Police responded to the scene, blocking the road for some time, and the Federal Aviation Administration was contacted to investigate.

The skies were clear but the winds had kicked up by the time Jefferson McClane of Orlando, Fla., was attempting to land his Cirrus SR22, shortly before 3 p.m. According to a police report, both wings and the nose of the plane sustained damage, but there were no injuries to either the pilot or his passenger, who had taken off from a Norfolk, Va., airport at around 1 p.m.

Jim Brundige, the airport manager, said by email on Tuesday that "for some reason that has yet to be determined," the pilot was unable to make a full stop on the secondary runway, known as Runway 34.
"The physical damage does not appear to be significant," Mr. Brundige said. "The fenceposts are frangible. But with aircraft, the full extent of damage cannot be determined until there is a thorough mechanical inspection of the plane."

He said there were no fuel spills as a result of the accident. 

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