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Single-engine plane crashes in Johnson County field near Gardner Municipal Airport

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office reported that a plane had crashed near Gardner Municipal Airport just before noon Friday.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office reported that a plane had crashed near Gardner Municipal Airport just before noon Friday. Johnson County Sheriff's Office

A single-engine plane crashed in a Johnson County field just before 11:50 a.m. near the Gardner Municipal Airport Friday, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

Responders reported that the 1980 Cessna 182 was flipped over in a field, and smoke was billowing out, scanner traffic indicated.

According to a crash report from the KSHP, the 59-year-old Overland Park pilot was flying southwest near Melvern, Kansas, with one other man when he determined the plane’s engine was not working properly.

After deciding to turn back toward the New Century AirCenter in Johnson County, his engine began to fail and the cockpit filled with smoke.

The pilot made an emergency landing, striking a culvert on its way down, causing the plane to overturn.

The craft came to rest in a field, with neither the pilot nor passenger sustaining any injuries.

This story was originally published April 7, 2023 at 1:11 PM.

Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
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