Crime & Safety
Plane Touches Down Without Landing Gear at Essex County Airport
Fairfield airport temporarily closed after landing gear malfunctions on a 1964 Piper.
A plane whose landing gear malfunctioned managed to land safely at Essex County Airport in Fairfield Thursday morning, according to police officials.
Fairfield police and fire departments responded to the airport on Passaic Avenue when a 1964 Piper PA-30 fixed wing, multi-engine airplane was attempting to touch down without its landing gear deployed.
The plane, piloted by a student identified as Vinicius Pivettabouvier, 25, of Hillside, slid down the runway before coming to a stop. Also on board was Walid Khallaf, an instructor from Century Air.
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Neither the pilot nor the instructor reported injuries, police said.
The airport was temporarily closed Friday pending the arrival of the Federal Aviation Administration.
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The plane is owned by Sherman Aviation LLC, which is based at the airport.
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