Arkansas congressional hopeful recovering from plane crash

CHEROKEE VILLAGE, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas man who is challenging U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford in the Republican primary election is recovering after he crashed his single-engine airplane last week. Jody Shackelford told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he was trying to land his plane when it crashed Friday at the Sharp County Regional Airport, about 115 miles north of Little Rock. Shackelford says he broke his back, ribs, hand and nose. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. Shackelford and state Rep. Brandt Smith are challenging the incumbent Crawford for the Republican nomination for the 1st Congressional District in eastern Arkansas. The primary is May 24.