Plane Lands Safely at Oxford Airport Following Mid-Air Malfunction

A Middlebury man landed his plane safely at Waterbury-Oxford Airport after experiencing an in-flight scare early Wednesday evening.

The 60-year-old pilot was flying to the airport in a single-engine Piper Saratoga airplane when an indicator showed his landing gear was not working properly just before 5 p.m., Oxford Fire Chief Scott Pelletier said. The Republican-American of Waterbury reports that the man is attorney Garret M. Moore. 

After several attempts to get the landing gear to work properly, the man finally saw a green light in his cockpit that indicated the landing gear had been locked into place, Pelletier said.

The man had radioed for help and waited for firefighters to get a full emergency crew in place before attempting to land the plane, Pelletier said.

The pilot, who was wearing a business suit while flying, landed the plane safely and got out of it without incident, Pelletier said.

Less than a half hour after the incident, the man was already in his car and headed home.

Dozens of firefighters, including those from all three Oxford companies, responded to the airport, as did a crew from the Oxford Ambulance Association. Both are volunteer organizations.

Pelletier said these types of incidents are not all that uncommon. He said firefighters are called to similar situations about once every two or three months, and the overwhelming majority of pilots have a safe landing.