Landing Gear Fails, Two Passengers Injured in Santa Barbara Air Mishap

Two passengers were injured, one seriously, when a Wings West Airlines plane was forced to execute a “wheels-up” landing after its landing gear failed to deploy Thursday evening at Santa Barbara Airport, authorities said.

A portion of the plane’s propeller broke away on impact with the runway, penetrated the plane’s fuselage and injured two men on board, airport officials said.

One man sustained a fractured leg, and the other suffered facial cuts. Neither was immediately identified.

The plane, a Merlin Metroliner, carried nine passengers and two crew members on the flight which originated at Los Angeles International Airport.