Pilot has rough landing off Sunriver runway

A pilot from the Eastern Oregon town of Echo had a rough landing Friday afternoon in the snow by the runway at the Sunriver Airport, damaging the plane but causing no injuries, police said.

Sunriver police and fire units were dispatched to the airport around 2 p.m. for an aircraft incident, said police Sgt. Joe Patnode.

Police investigating the crash-landing said they believe the pilot, Robert Levy, 69, was unable to determine the runway’s exact location, landing his plane in the snow between the runway and taxiway at the south end of the airport.

The propellers on the twin-engine Beechcraft were damaged, but the pilot reported no injuries. Fire crews cleared the plane of any hazards and cleared the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the incident, the sergeant said, and the airport was closed until the plane could be removed.