San Diego
The sole occupant of a small plane that apparently ran out of fuel made an emergency landing just short of the runway at Montgomery Field on Thursday night, authorities reported.
The pilot, identified by San Diego police as William Russell of La Jolla, was not injured. There were no passengers.
Police Lt. John Kern said Russell was approaching Montgomery Field from the east in his two-seat, experimental plane about 6:45 p.m. when the engine died. Russell brought the aircraft down in a grassy area about a quarter of a mile east of the runway.
Stewart Cochran, a pilot who was at the airport when the landing occurred, described Russell’s plane as a home-built, experimental craft known as a Glasair.
“That plane may have saved his life,” said Cochran, president of the San Diego chapter of the National Experimental Aircraft Assn. “It’s an all-composite aircraft and it’s very strong.”
Police said the plane remained upright. It was moderately damaged.
Because of the darkness and light rain, police and firefighters had a difficult time locating the craft. By the time they reached Russell, he reportedly was walking around the aircraft checking for damage.
It was unclear Thursday where Russell’s flight had begun.
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