Around 3 in the afternoon, Thursday September 14th, a single engine plane flipped over and crashed on the runway at the Cortland County Airport.
Cortlandville Fire, along with the New York State Police, TLC Ambulance and the City of Cortland Hazmat responded to the scene. The pilot of the plane, which was a single engine Cessna 305A “Bird Dog,” had self-extricated from the plane before emergency crews arrived.
State Police have identified the pilot at 58 year old Bradley S. Fitchett of Ellsworth Kansas. He was transported via TLC Ambulance to Guthrie Cortland Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The plane had been traveling from Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport and was landing at the Cortland County Airport for refueling before its final destination in Kansas when it flipped.
Nearly 5 gallons of fuel spilled on the runway as a result. The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation into why the plane flipped over.
Correction: The crash occurred at 3:06pm and not in the 4 o’clock hour.
