Pilot Unhurt After Plane Crashes At Morristown Airport

MORRISTOWN, NJ — A small plane crashed Tuesday morning at the Morristown Municipal Airport. The pilot — the only person on board — came out unhurt.

The crash occurred because of a gear collapse in the single-engine aircraft, according to a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration. John Loofbourrow, the pilot, noticed as he was landing that the right landing gear failed or hadn't been locked, said Morristown police.

As a result, the aircraft's undercarriage touched the runway. But Loofbourrow maintained a certain level of control, and the aircraft stopped on a taxiway off the main runway. Loofbourrow, 83, of Springfield, owns the aircraft, according to FAA records.

Morristown Municipal Airport stayed open, but Runway 23/5 remains closed as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board received notice of the incident, and the FAA will investigate.

Officials also reported a plane crash Sunday near the Lincoln Park Airport. The plane landed in heavy brush by the woods. The pilot and passenger were uninjured and refused medical attention. Read more: Plane Crashes In Morris County Woods, Nobody Hurt

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