Military aircraft makes emergency landing at TLH
Two Air Force crew members made an emergency landing on a runway at Tallahassee Regional Airport at approximately 11:50 a.m. Thursday after experiencing a problem with the landing gear.
There were no injuries, no fire and no fuel leaks associated with the landing, said Jim Durwin, assistant superintendent of airport operations. One runway was affected; however, the airport has two runways and was able to continue normal operations.
The plane was described by the Air Force as an E-9A Widget assigned to the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force base and operated by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City. The plane is used as a surveillance platform to ensure the Gulf Coast waters are clear of civilian boaters and aircraft during live missile launches and other military activities.
Durwin said the crew members were doing landing-approach training in Tallahassee at the airport.
“We have quite a few military aircraft that practice in the area,” Durwin said.
He said authorities contacted the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, but those agencies deferred the investigation to military authorities at Tyndall.
Durwin said a team from Tyndall would inspect the aircraft, after which it will be removed from the runway.