Updated: Plane Carrying Governor Crash-Lands at Santa Fe; No Injuries (NM Martinez)

Albuquerque Journal North ^ | May 24, 2012 | Dan Boyd

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE – A private plane carrying Gov. Susana Martinez and her husband, Chuck Franco, landed at Santa Fe Municipal Airport without its landing gear down Wednesday night, but there were no injuries, the governor’s spokesman said.

Matt Chandler, district attorney for the 9th Judicial District, also was on board, but was not injured, said spokesman Scott Darnell.

The emergency landing took place at about 10 p.m.

The governor was returning from a campaign event in Tucumcari for Republican state Senate candidate Angie Spears. The Spears campaign paid for the flight, Darnell said.

---

Gov. Susana Martinez told reporters this morning she saw sparks flying when a small plane carrying her and others crash-landed at Santa Fe Municipal Airport Wednesday night, but she said the incident won’t keep her from taking more flights on small planes.

Speaking for the first time since the incident about 10 p.m. Wednesday, Martinez said she initially thought a tire had blown on the plane’s landing gear.

“It wasn’t scary, in the sense that we didn’t realize what had happened until it happened,” Martinez told reporters after a childhood reading event in Española this morning. “The plane was not destroyed — nothing was broken off or flew off.”

[CedarDave]

The pilot was responsible for the crash landing. Due to strong winds during the approach, the pilot retracted the gear and went around for a second approach. He neglected to redeploy the gear and the plane landed on its belly.

[CedarDave]

This ABQ Journal article is free to read.

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[BwanaNdege]

That’s why we always used to call “YT 182 at the 180, three down and locked”.

[CedarDave]

[SaraJohnson]

Oh geeze. I would not want to the one who made that mistake!

[The Cajun]

Well heck, except for the prop having a little pitch trouble now, doesn’t look too bad.

[Bobalu]

I can see how that mistake could happen.

Bet it was a scary awakening when he struck the runway with the belly of the plane!

[CedarDave]

The single-engine Malibu propeller plane was piloted by Sid Strebeck, a Clovis businessman who has approximately 3,000 flight hours.

[JRandomFreeper]

I live very near the end of a runway for a major military base. I listen to tower freq all the time, because I really DO want to know when someone declares an emergency and does a dreaded 3-engine landing with a C-130, or the other jet last week that did the low flyby for the tower to see if the birdstrike had cause any damage to the nose-gear. I just find that kind of stuff important to know about.

Tower tells everyone on final to call at 3 miles with the gear. They always do.

During the last airshow, lots of weird planes, military and civilian were coming in, and getting the standard treatment.

One guy called at 3 miles with 3 down and welded. Took me a minute to figure out he was one of the civilian aerobatic AC.

/johnny

[CedarDave]

I suspect the yellow and black striping on the plane’s door means no entry, and that an investigation will be performed.

[depressed in 06]

He neglected to redeploy the gear and the plane landed on its belly.

At what point did his pucker factor go up?

[BwanaNdege]

In the Hueys it was always “2 down & welded” - skids, that is.

[Okieshooter]

There is a saying among pilots about forgetting to put the gear down. There are those that have and there are those that will. I am one of one of those that have, but actually I did not forget to put my gear down but switched the landing gear switch instead of the flap switch on my landing roll out. Sure is a good way to stop in a hurry though. :-)

That was many years ago in 1958, so I blame it on being young and dumb, but ever since I am very aware of mt landing gear and flaps.

[Clay Moore]

“Why is that stupid horn going off? That isn’t the stall alarm!”

Trouble is it will be an engine tear-down to inspect the crankshaft in addition to the repair on the bottom of the wings and fuselage.

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[jocon307]

“He neglected to redeploy the gear...”

I think this calls for a big OY VEH!

I’m very glad everyone is OK.

[The Cajun]

Yep, big bucks anyway you look at it, but when you can walk away from it, small matter.
Scariest I had was in a float plane and we barely clipped the top of a cypress tree taking off out of a canal (Pilot misjudged canal length, weight or hot humid conditions for take off).
Saw the green marks on the wing strut on my side, prop and pontoons didn't hit anything, thank goodness.
You never forget those little things :^)

[DLfromthedesert]

I’m grateful everyone is OK.

[DLfromthedesert]

I’m grateful everyone is OK.

[DLfromthedesert]

I’m grateful everyone is OK.