MANSFIELD (UPDATED AT 4:03 p.m.) — Mansfield Police received a phone call at 12:01 p.m. Tuesday about an airplane circling Lahm Airport that was having a problem with its landing gear, Chief Ken Coontz said.
The plane had to use an emergency belly landing in a field at Lahm Airport.
“Everyone is safe and nobody is injured,” Coontz said.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when a 1980 Beech Model 58 fixed wing, multi-engine planes landing gear failed to open. The pilot was able to successfully land the plane without incident despite the defective landing gear.
The plane was piloted by Robert Zook, 68, of Mansfield. Zook did not suffer any injuries. Passengers Angela Phillips, of Middletown, Chad Deskins, of Middletown, Sydney Deskins, of Middletown, and Ralph Deskins, of Middletown, also did not report any injuries.
A photo and Facebook post published around 3:30 p.m. from Angela Phillips said the landing was “scary,” but passengers were thankful for the response from the grounds crew.
