BEVERLY, MASS. (WHDH) - A student made an emergency landing in Beverly on Sunday night after the plane lost a wheel during take-off.
“I heard a pilot immediately calling the tower as a plane was taking off, telling the tower that the warrior in front of him–the wheel fell off,” Joyce Perelli, a witness, said. “At first, I don’t think it really hit her what the tower was telling her, but then she sounded really scared.”
Another witness said the airport staff jumped into action quickly.
“I guess they said they had gone out under the runway and found the part and examined it, so they knew which wheel it was and that it was hers,” Matt Newby, a witness, said. “We were praying for her and just hoping that she got down on the ground safely.”
According to the airport manager, it took less than half an hour to get the pilot safely on the ground.
“She was up there until we were fairly safe and certain she was ready to land,” Gloria Bouillon, manager at the Beverly Regional Airport, said. “This was an accident, it went as well as it could and, fortunately, it was right after we had done some drills, so everyone was very well prepared, the response was excellent.”
Emergency crews were waiting on the ground at the airport.
The student was not hurt, and airport officials said she is recovering with her family.
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