A Juneau airport spokeswoman credits a pilot’s training and emergency personnel for a “happy ending” Sunday afternoon when a small plane was forced to land on its belly.
The Cessna 210C radioed the Juneau airport tower when its rear landing gear wouldn’t come down. Then the tower alerted the Capital City Fire/Rescue Glacier Station.
Juneau International Airport manager Patty Wahto said the plane circled and attempted to unjam the gear. Emergency personnel set up and waited for the plane to come in.
“For as many aircraft and as many people we have coming in and out of here, to have mechanical issues like this or to actually have to put a plane down on its belly, they’re pretty rare,” Wahto said. “But the pilot did an excellent job, he slowed things down. He still had his nose gear up front. And was able to come in on that and slow everything down.”
Wahto said the pilot turned his engine off and at the last minute put it down on its belly.
Wahto also credited CCFR and airfield crews for their response. Assistant Fire Chief Tod Chambers said the plane made a decent landing.
“Both of the people were able to get out without any problems on their own. There were no injuries,” Chambers said. “There was a small fuel leak that they were able to pretty much stop with materials they carried on the crash rescue trucks.”
Wahto declined to identify the pilot because the incident is still being investigated.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s online aircraft registry, the Cessna was registered to Timothy Hlavnicka of Hoonah. The registration expired in May.
A portion of the runway was closed during the incident. Small planes could continue to come in and out.
