Private Plane Makes Emergency Landing

A single-seat, private airplane made an emergency landing at Burbank Airport on Sunday after losing one of its landing gears, authorities said.

The pilot, who was not identified, was not injured. He was on an approach about 1 p.m. to Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, said Victor Gill, Burbank Airport spokesman.

“He was coming in when he felt a bump,” Gill said. Fearing that he had struck something, the pilot pulled up and radioed the Whiteman tower to ask that a “visual inspection” be made as he circled the field.

“They confirmed he was missing one of his landing gears,” possibly after striking the top of a utility pole, Gill said.

“The pilot quickly changed his plans and radioed Burbank to ask if he could land there,” Gill said.

Burbank Airport is better equipped than Whiteman to handle emergency landings.

Emergency crews were sent to Burbank’s north-south runway.

“He landed and eventually got to the point where the wing on one side dropped down, causing him to veer off the runway,” Gill said. The plane moved onto a dirt infield, spun around and stopped.

The airplane was identified as a Glasair III, a kit plane manufactured by Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft Inc. in Arlington, Va.