No injuries in plane crash
<p>A pilot and a passenger managed to walk away from this crash at Coolin on Sunday. (Photo courtesy COOLIN CAVANAUGH BAY FIRE DISTRICT)</p>
COOLIN — A 20-year-old pilot and his passenger escaped injury Sunday after crashing while landing at Priest Lake’s Cavanaugh Bay airstrip.
Coolin Cavanaugh Bay Fire District officials said Zak Deardorff of Spokane, Wash., was attempting to land on the runway, which was covered by more than a foot of snow. The plane’s tires left a 200-foot trail in the snow before becoming mired in deeper snow, causing the fixed-wing aircraft to nosedive and flip upside down.
The crash happened at about 3 p.m., according to fire officials. Coolin Cavanaugh Bay Fire, in addition to Priest Lake Ambulance, responded to the call. There was no fire or hazardous material releases, although absorbent pads were placed beneath the engine compartment as a safety precaution.
The plane suffered moderate damages to all surfaces of the aircraft, including a bent propeller.
The Federal Aviation Administration described the plane as a Piper 108 flying station wagon, a popular general aviation aircraft that can be fitted with wheels, floats or ski landing gear.
The plane was designed and produced by Stinson Aircraft Co., which was acquired by Piper in 1949.
Fire officials said the plane could have landed without incident if skis, not wheels, were used as landing gear.