Aircraft crashes near Dayton airport, pilot injured

RHEA COUNTY — A pilot was hospitalized after crash landing in a field near Dayton’s Mark Anton Airport on Wednesday, Aug. 7, according to an incident on file at the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department.

At around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, first responders were dispatched to the Dayton airport after receiving reports of a plane crash in the area, according to the report filed by Rhea County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Cody Massey.

“While en route, central dispatch advised they were on the phone, speaking with the pilot who advised them he believed he was at the north end of the runway,” Massey said. “I was able to locate the red and white aircraft in the field near Purser Road, located next to a fence line.”

Massey said he spoke with the pilot who told him that he took off at around 8 a.m. and had been flying for nearly an hour when his engines shut off.

“The pilot advised he tried to make it back to the airport but was unable to, causing him to try and land the plane in the field, which was approximately 0.2 miles east of the runway,” Massey said.

According to the report, the aircraft was a Kolb Experimental Ultralight Aircraft that suffered extensive damage upon impact.

“It appeared that the aircraft was flying south when it struck a fence post with the left wing, causing the aircraft to spin around and come to rest on the ground, facing north,” Massey said.

The report states that the pilot was able to exit the aircraft on his own but did sustain injuries on his right side. The pilot was transported to the hospital, Massey said; however, the extent of his injuries were unknown as of press time Friday.

Airport officials were also on the scene Wednesday, and according to Massey, those officials requested a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation. However, according to the report, FAA officials said that no investigation would be performed since the aircraft was not registered.