Ohio man lands plane without landing gear

7/2/2012

PORT CLINTON — A Columbiana, Ohio, pilot avoided a collision with other aircraft and managed to land his single-engine plane safely today without using landing gear, Ottawa County sheriff’s deputies said.

Paul B. Daniels approached the Erie-Ottawa Regional Airport in Portage Township from the west about 9:45 a.m. and heard radio traffic from another airplane that was trying to land, deputies said. Mr. Daniels, concerned about a collision with the other plane, tried to land quickly. But he failed to lower the landing gear of his Piper PA-46-350P.

Deputies said Mr. Daniels and his passenger walked away from the plane without injury.

The airport is in Port Clinton, which is 40 miles east of Toledo.