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Student Pilot Missed One Building, Hit Another
Small Plane Crashes Into Farmington Police Department
Updated: 10:29 AM MST Jan 23, 2004
Investigators say the student pilot of a small plane that crashed Thursday night managed to avoid a larger, two-story building, but then crash-landed onto the top of the smaller Farmington Police Department building.The building that was hit housed a police-run mini-jail, forcing authorities to evacuate the holding facility. Police said 10 inmates in a holding area at the department were safely transferred to another location. The building the pilot managed to miss houses court records.The only injury was to the pilot, who authorities identified as Jeff Lewis, 32, of Farmington. He was on board the single-engine, six-seat Beechcraft Bonanza when it apparently lost power to the engine.Police said Lewis was practicing take-offs and landings at Four Corners Regional Airport.The airport has a runway about 400 yards from the police department building. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane apparently lost power before the crash at about 7:15 p.m.Several witnesses saw the crash. At the Hacienda Home Center in Farmington, Carolyn Mason had a hard time concentrating on her job Friday because of what she saw the night before."It seemed when the wings started waving back and forth, it kind of reminded me of those Styrofoam plane gliders that they throw, but it had lights on it," said Mason. "When it hit, it was just a loud crash-boom. (It was) kind of, like, silent for a few seconds after that. It was unbelievable -- no fire, just dead silence after it happened. Then I saw a movement in the cockpit."Within minutes, firefighters helped Lewis out of the wreckage. Lewis, who is a student with Mesa Airlines' Pilot Development program, suffered head and facial injuries but was conscious when he was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, officials said He was later flown to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.For the rest of Thursday night, more than 50 emergency personnel worked to remove the 1-ton plane from the building's rooftop and onto a flatbed truck. Farmington police Capt. Bob Bussey said damage to the building may exceed $100,000."The detective's division is out of commission and we didn't have too much disruption. We were back at it at 10 a.m., with the exception of the one area," Bussey said.Bussey said they were lucky that the detective division had been putting in long hours preparing for an upcoming case so that Thursday night, they happened to go home early and weren't inside when the plane hit.Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the crash.
FARMINGTON, N.M. —
Investigators say the student pilot of a small plane that crashed Thursday night managed to avoid a larger, two-story building, but then crash-landed onto the top of the smaller Farmington Police Department building.
The building that was hit housed a police-run mini-jail, forcing authorities to evacuate the holding facility. Police said 10 inmates in a holding area at the department were safely transferred to another location. The building the pilot managed to miss houses court records.
The only injury was to the pilot, who authorities identified as Jeff Lewis, 32, of Farmington. He was on board the single-engine, six-seat Beechcraft Bonanza when it apparently lost power to the engine.
Police said Lewis was practicing take-offs and landings at Four Corners Regional Airport.
The airport has a runway about 400 yards from the police department building. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane apparently lost power before the crash at about 7:15 p.m.
Several witnesses saw the crash. At the Hacienda Home Center in Farmington, Carolyn Mason had a hard time concentrating on her job Friday because of what she saw the night before.
"It seemed when the wings started waving back and forth, it kind of reminded me of those Styrofoam plane gliders that they throw, but it had lights on it," said Mason. "When it hit, it was just a loud crash-boom. (It was) kind of, like, silent for a few seconds after that. It was unbelievable -- no fire, just dead silence after it happened. Then I saw a movement in the cockpit."
Within minutes, firefighters helped Lewis out of the wreckage. Lewis, who is a student with Mesa Airlines' Pilot Development program, suffered head and facial injuries but was conscious when he was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, officials said He was later flown to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
For the rest of Thursday night, more than 50 emergency personnel worked to remove the 1-ton plane from the building's rooftop and onto a flatbed truck. Farmington police Capt. Bob Bussey said damage to the building may exceed $100,000.
"The detective's division is out of commission and we didn't have too much disruption. We were back at it at 10 a.m., with the exception of the one area," Bussey said.
Bussey said they were lucky that the detective division had been putting in long hours preparing for an upcoming case so that Thursday night, they happened to go home early and weren't inside when the plane hit.
Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the crash.
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