Small plane skids off RDM runway after landing gear collapses; no injuries

Pilot had called in possible gear problem; emergency crews were standing by

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A small plane pilot and passenger escaped injury Monday after calling in a possible problem with a landing gear that collapsed during an emergency landing at Redmond Airport, sending the plane skidding off the runway, authorities said.

Redmond Fire and Rescue personnel responded to Roberts Field around 10 a.m. after the pilot of the Beechcraft F33A Bonanza, registered to Leading Edge Aviation, reported a possible landing gear problem. Fire Captain Wayne Hess said the plane circled for a short time so the gear could be observed and  emergency vehicles could be staged.

When it landed, the left landing gear collapsed and the plane veered off the runway, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. The two occupants quickly got out of the plane.

Two Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles were on scene and reported after the landing a small fuel leak coming from a fuel vent on the wing, Hess said.

Another Redmond fire engine, medic and staff stood by during the incident. Fire crews were on scene for about two hours and a runway remained closed while the plane’s owner removed the craft.

FAA records show the plane, built in 1973, is owned by Bend's Leading Edge Aviation.

Kenitzer said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.