Pilot unhurt in emergency landing near Castalia

7/24/2008

CASTALIA, Ohio - A Wyoming man escaped injury Tuesday night in an emergency landing on Billings Road near this Erie County community after the engine of his single-engine two-seat aircraft stopped, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Dennis Vogler, 56, of Lander, the pilot who was flying alone, was not hurt, troopers said.

Mr. Vogler told the troopers he was flying his RV-6A experimental plane east across Erie County en route to the Lorain County Regional Airport about 7 p.m. when the engine of the amateur-built aircraft suddenly stopped.

The pilot then glided the plane down from an altitude of 3,500 feet for about 2 miles and made a safe landing about 7:05 p.m. on Billings in Groton Township, troopers said.

The cause of the problem is under investigation by the FAA. The investigation is expected to take about two weeks, according to the FAA's Great Lakes Region office in Des Plaines, Ill.