Vernon Airport takes a beating

Don Plant Kelowna Daily Courier Saturday, May 3, 2014 7:52 pm
A helicopter made an emergency landing and a small plane crashed into a hanger at Vernon Airport last week. No one was hurt in either accident, but the fact two mishaps occurred in two days is extremely unusual, airport manager James Rice said. “We take any accident at the airport extremely seriously. We’re just happy there were no injuries in any of them.” A Vernon pilot flying a single-engine Cessna 177 was on the ground when he lost control of the aircraft Wednesday morning and it slammed into a hanger. Photos suggest the plane struck the tin-sheet metal wall from an angle. The propeller and one wing made contact, which caused obvious damage to the wing closer to the fuselage, Rice said. A private contractor flying the chopper, a Bell 205, was taking off Tuesday afternoon when the tail rotor clipped the airport’s windsock five metres above the ground. The pilot realized what happened right away and made a controlled emergency landing, Rice said. “The main rotor is turning, but the second you feel that impact, you go for ground immediately.” The rotor sustained minor damage, but the windsock needs replacing. The conical bag has flown near the spot where helicopters land for decades, but this was the first time a chopper has contacted it in the 22 years Rice has worked for the City of Vernon. The airport is investigating both incidents.