BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — The Battle Creek Executive Airport temporarily closed two runways this morning after an aircraft skidded off Runway 31 during landing.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28, a Velocity aircraft carrying one person lost directional control and skidded off Runway 31 when its nose wheel failed to deploy properly.
Air traffic control immediately notified emergency services. Battle Creek police, fire, and airport personnel responded, shutting down Runways 31 and 23R. After a brief investigation, the nose gear was lowered, allowing the aircraft to taxi back to the East T-hangars without further incident.
The pilot, a local Battle Creek resident, was not injured.
Airport personnel conducted a post-accident inspection of the airfield and cleared debris from the runway. Both runways were reopened by 9:35 a.m.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, airport traffic was lighter than usual, and the incident had minimal impact on operations, said Philip Kroll, aviation director.
“No one wants to experience a scare like this, but at the end of the day, this really is the best-case scenario because everyone was able to safely return home to their loved ones,” Kroll said.
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