Two people escape major injuries after plane crash near Johnson County airport
A pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries when the single-engine plane they were flying in crashed into trees near Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe shortly before noon Friday, authorities said.
The plane crashed about a mile south of the airport in Overland Park, said Officer John Lacy, a spokesman for the Overland Park Police Department. Officers were alerted to the situation by the pilot, who called police after the plane went down and informed them that the plane was stuck in the treeline area, Lacy said.
“They only suffered minor injuries, which is a blessing,” Lacy said of the pilot and passenger at the scene of the crash Friday afternoon. “We’re just glad that this plane didn’t strike any homes because there’s a lot of residential homes in the area and also there’s a couple of schools in the area.”
The event prompted an emergency response from several area agencies, including the Overland Park Fire Department, Johnson County MED-ACT and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The Federal Aviation Administration was also called in to investigate.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office shared photographs of the wreckage showing that the small plane’s front end suffered extensive damage. The engine and propeller appeared partially detached from the fuselage, and at least one of its wings had been separated.
In a follow-up statement Friday afternoon, Johnson County officials said the airplane, which is registered in Colorado, experienced engine trouble just after takeoff. The pilot was attempting a return to the airport when the plane went down just south of 159th Street and east of Pflumm Road.
The pilot and passenger both declined medical treatment, authorities said.
The airport was shut down for just under two hours Friday amid the emergency response.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 12:59 PM.
