Minor Mishap at Hayward Airport

HAYWARD, CA - A student pilot skidded off the runway but walked away uninjured when he came down too hard at the Hayward Executive Airport this morning, the airport's manager said.

The two-seat Cessna 152 was arriving just before 9 a.m., according to airport manager Doug McNeeley. The pilot was working on getting his pilot's license, which requires flying a minimum of 20 hours solo per Federal Aviation Administration regulations, McNeeley said.

There was some damage to the plane's propeller and nose gear, but no one was injured, McNeeley said. The runway was closed for about 45 minutes while firefighters responded. The FAA was notified and the plane was removed from the runway, McNeeley said.

The airport has two runways so arrivals and departures were not affected. The FAA is investigating the incident, agency spokesman Ian Gregor said.

--Bay City News