Barnstable Airport Closes For Emergency Landing

HYANNIS, MA — Barnstable Municipal Airport temporarily closed Thursday morning after fire officials said a pilot practicing takeoffs and landings had an in-flight emergency. Hyannis Fire Capt. Nathan Coughlan said that while the pilot and co-pilot of the Cape Air Cessna were practicing, part of the plane's landing gear collapsed while touching down.

"They were practicing touch and goes and on one of the landings, they had a partial collapse of the landing gearing, causing the propellers to hit the ground," Coughlan said.

Coughlan said the pilot did not realize the propellers had hit the ground and took off again. When the plane started vibrating, the pilot called in an in-flight emergency around 10 a.m.

Both runways were closed until the plane was able to make a safe emergency landing. Coughlan said no one was injured. One runway remained closed while investigators inspected the damage.