WEST GOSHEN - Heavy winds likely contributed to a plane crash at the Brandywine Airport Wednesday that caused heavy damage to three aircraft and sent a pilot to the hospital, according to airport officials.
Loose debris blew across the tarmac as airport officials and federal investigators examined the damaged planes.
According to an FAA spokeswoman, a single-engine plane lost power and veered off Runway 27 during an attempted landing at about 11:40 a.m. before it careened onto an adjacent tarmac. The plane narrowly missed a parked fuel truck and the airport office before colliding with two unmanned planes.
FAA records said the plane, a 1977 Grumman AA-IC Lynx, is owned by Howard J. Cooper, of Maplewood, N.J. Airport officials confirmed Cooper was piloting the plane when it crashed.
Airport manager John Taylor described the accident as a "botched landing" and said that a stiff crosswind likely pushed the plane sideways as the pilot attempted to put the plane safely on the ground.
Cooper was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries, officials said.
Weather measurements at the airport Wednesday showed steady winds of 14 knots with gusts of up to 24 knots blowing directly across the runway. One knot is equal to about 1.15 miles per hour.
Strong crosswinds are common at Brandywine, and pilots who are unfamiliar with the small airport often underestimate the strength of the winds, Taylor said.
Taylor said the accident could have been much worse, especially if the plane had struck the fuel truck that was parked just yards from the out-of-control plane's path.
"It could have been much worse," Taylor said. "Everyone here is very lucky. I don't know how he missed that fuel truck."
Three FAA investigators were at the scene Wednesday probing the cause of the crash. The FAA's investigation is ongoing, a spokeswoman said.
Two other planes sustained heavy damage in the accident, including a 1981 Piper PA-28-161 owned by the TAS Inc. Flight School based at Brandywine Airport. The other plane, a 1980 Piper PA-28-161, is owned by General Aviation Express in Berwyn, according to FAA records.
In addition to the FAA investigators, members of the Goshen Fire Company and the West Goshen Police Department responded to the scene.
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