PLAINVILLE, Conn. — A close call Thursday morning at Plainville's Robertson Airport.
Just after 11:30 a.m., a single-engine plane flipped over nose first after landing at Robertson Airport. The pilot, the only person in the plane, escaped serious injury.
"It appears that the single-engine plane, after landing, veered off to the right-hand side (of the runway) onto a grassy area and then flipped over onto its roof," said Chief Chris Vanghele of the Plainville Police Department.
But why remains a question Vanghele could not answer.
"It could be something with the brakes. We don't know," he said.
The lone occupant, according to sources, was 81-year-old pilot Frank Dworak.
"He was transported to the hospital, which seems right now to be a very minor injuries," Vanghele added.
And he noted that it does not appear the pilot suffered a medical event.
"He was conscious and he was alert and talking while he was being extricated from the plane," the Chief said.
The FAA has not responded to FOX61's request for the pilot's flight plan and Robertson Airport officials declined to comment when asked if the plane is based at Robertson.
"The plane itself was made safe by the fire department and mechanics here to ensure that there is nothing flammable and no issues during the investigation," Vanghele said. "The skid marks in the grass are probably only about 50 to 60 feet long and then at you know when it dove nose-first the propeller hit and then the plane flipped over onto its roof."
The airport was closed to air traffic for several hours. The plane was carted away by investigators.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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