No One Injured in Minor Crash That Closes Airport

A single-engine Mooney aircraft coming from Grand Rapids landed at the Mackinac Island airport without its landing gear Saturday, July 7, causing minor damage to the underbelly and propeller. The pilot and single passenger were not hurt.

The accident closed the airport for three hours, diverting air traffic to St. Ignace.

According to officials, the pilot claims that a green light was on inside the plane, indicating that it was safe to land, yet evidence shows that the wheels never left their wheelwells. Either way, the landing gear was never extended, causing the plane to do a "wheels up landing."

Mackinac Island police and firemen were called to the scene while the aircraft was removed from the runway.

The crash is being investi- gated.

"If you screw up landing an airplane, it is different than driving," said Dennis Bradley, manager of the Mackinac Island Airport. "The Federal Aviation Administration can do a review of your license. If the green light was on and it didn't come down, . . . further investigation needs to be conducted with the aircraft, like 'Why did that light show that it was on if it really wasn't? Is it the wheels or the sensor?' If something like this happened, then we would have to send out a message to all singleengine Mooneys. It's just more complicated."

Pilot error could also be a cause, he noted.