New Hackensack (Dutchess) Aircraft Emergency

[PVFD233 68]

Incident Alert

Thursday, August 23, 2007 Poughkeepsiejournal.com

Airplane lands safely at Dutchess airport

NEW HACKENSACK — A plane believed to have malfunctioning landing gear has landed safely at Dutchess County Airport, witnesses on the ground told the Journal just before 11:20 a.m.

Hyde Park resident Monte Nesheiwat, who was driving by the airport and stopped to observe the scene unfold, said the double-propeller plane touched down without incident.

“It just landed,’’ Nesheiwat said. “I see it coming down the runway.’’

Just minutes earlier, emergency crews were at the airport responding to the report of a plane with malfunctioning landing gear. State police had closed the road adjacent to the airport as a precaution.

What specific type of plane is involved and the specific problem it apparently has was not immediately known. The number of people on board was also unclear.

Michael LoGiudice of Corporate Building Services, located at the airport, said company personnel were told earlier this morning that a plane with no landing gear was circling the airport.

He said emergency service and fire personnel are on the ground, and that other planes at the airport off New Hackensack Road have been moved from their usual spots to a safe area.

County emergency response officials were on the scene, but the office could not immediately offer details on the situation.

Nesheiwat said the plane appeared to have one wheel that was not locked. He said authorities had closed the road and ordered people to leave the area just moments before the plane landed safely.

Edited August 23, 2007 by SPFC56-233