Dan Kegley
Despite an emergency services dispatcher’s urgent “we have a plane crash,” a minor incident at Mountain Empire Airport Monday afternoon left no serious injuries and little damage as a gust of wind tipped over a gyroplane on the runway. Curtis Pennington, who runs an aircraft maintenance service at the airport, called it “a little bad luck” and said Groseclose pilot Fred Purdue has “a lot of years flying.” Airport staff member Charlie Hoofnagle said that during the afternoon, the windsock “would stand straight out,” filled with wind, and 15 seconds later, just hang there.” Several Virginia State Police troopers responded to the incident.
This is the second incident involving a gyroplane this month in the New River Valley. Nine days ago a gyroplane crashed in Blacksburg, killing the passenger and severely injuring the pilot. It’s good to hear the pilot wasn’t hurt, and hopefully the same can be said for his aircraft.
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