By TAPINTO WEST ESSEX STAFF
FAIRFIELD, NJ — A propeller plan piloted by an elderly male from Queens, N.Y. ran off the runway at Essex County Airport late Friday morning.
Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna reported that at approximately at 11:32 a.m., the Fairfield Police Department was notified of an airplane crash at the Essex County Airport. Police, fire and EMS were immediately dispatched to the scene.
First arriving officers found a 1970 Piper PA-39 propellor plane on the grass just off of Runway #4.
The plane was occupied by the pilot, an 84-year-old male from Kew Gardens, N.Y., and a passenger, an 83-year-old female from Dix Hills, N.Y. Neither claimed to be injured as a result of the crash.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the plane had initially attempted to take off, but it was aborted when it was found that the passenger’s door was not properly closed. After this was corrected, the plane taxied and then attempted to take off again, but the pilot apparently aborted this take off which resulted in the plane leaving the runway.
Police say that it is still unclear as to why the pilot aborted this take off. He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
The Federal Aviation Administration was contact and responding to assume the investigation.
