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Nosecone to Nosecone Injures Two Pilots

   Written by on October 26, 2017 at 12:43 pm

By Lyle M. Leake, Staff Writer

airport accidentFARMVILLE – Friday morning, October 17, an aviation emergency at the Farmville Airport on Wedgewood Drive saw fire and rescue personnel, as well as Virginia State Police and airport staff, working tirelessly to clear the runway after two small experimental aircraft collided on the ground.

Virginia State Police First Sergeant G.L. Miller stated, “The accident is still under investigation, but what we know now is that the two planes were taxiing in opposite directions on the runway and hit nosecone to nosecone. Both pilots sustained minor, non-life-threatening injuries.”

The two pilots were practicing maneuvers for an air show scheduled at 1 p.m., when they found themselves taxiing down the runway in opposite directions. Once these small planes, known as “taildraggers,” were on the ground, the cant, or angle of the aircraft, minimizes visibility to the front of the plane.

The two aviators collided to the right of the nosecone of each plane while going 20-30 mph on the runway. Both planes sustained serious damage due to the impact as well as the propeller strike. Both pilots were transported via ambulance to the hospital for minor injuries.

One of the planes, a Pitts S1-C, was registered to Chris Meyer of Washington, D.C. and the other, an S-600F, was registered to David Taylor of Fairfax, Va.

The airport was closed until 3 p.m. The air show has been postponed till a later date.

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