Airplane Makes 'Hard Landing' at Ellington Airport

ELLINGTON, CT — A gear malfunction led to a hard landing involving a small airplane late Sunday morning at Ellington Airport, state police said.

The incident took place at 11:19 a.m. when a pilot was performing a series of touch-and-go landing maneuvers, according to a state police report.

While landing from the north side of the airport, the gear failed to retract and the Mooney single-engine plane slid on its belly for 183 yards and came to rest at the edge of the paved runway, according to a state police report.

No injuries were reported and the plane did not leak any fluid, state police said. The was some damage to the underside of the aircraft and the prop, according to a state police report. The runway was not damaged and the Federal Aviation Administration will look into the accident, state police said.

The plane was removed from the runway and the landing gear was lowered, according to a state police report.

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