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By | The New Mexican
A single-engine airplane ended up atop another at Los Alamos County Airport on Monday afternoon as both pilots tried to land at the same time.
No one was seriously injured in the freak accident that closed the airport shortly after 3 p.m. so the Federal Aviation Administration could investigate.
Jim Unruh of White Rock was flying a 1963 Beechcraft Bonanza that ended up straddling a 1959 Beechcraft Bonanza piloted by Robert Johnson of Ojo Caliente.
Johnson was returning to Taos from Reno, Nev., with a passenger, Pavel Lukes of Taos, who co-owns the airplane with him. They said they stopped in Los Alamos for fuel because it is cheaper there than in Taos.
"It was a hell of a ride," the Czech-born Lukes said of the accident.
Sgt. Fred Rascon of the Los Alamos Police Department said Unruh was able to walk away from his plane, but it took time to free Johnson and Lukes from the bottom plane.
"Both pilots were landing at the same time, one above the other," Rascon said. "Apparently, they didn't see each other until they actually landed."
Lt. Reggie Briggle of the Los Alamos police said Johnson and Lukes' injuries were so slight, they refused treatment.
Asked which pilot appeared to be at fault, Briggle said, "There might have been some issue with one of them's communication, but the investigation is not up to the LAPD."
Los Alamos County spokeswoman Julie Habiger said she had heard one pilot was tuned to the wrong radio frequency.
Los Alamos County Airport, which is rated for small, private aircraft and has no commercial flights, has no air-traffic controller. Pilots approaching the airport use remote control to turn on the lights.
The FAA's on-scene investigation was expected to continue until past 10 p.m. Monday. The three men involved were kept at the scene until about 7:45 p.m.
Habiger said Acting Airport Manager Kyle Zimmerman told her the FAA probably would classify the wreck as "an incident rather than an accident -- the difference being that nobody was hurt and there is really very little property damage."
She said after oil is cleaned from the runway, crews would use dollies to lift one airplane off the other and then move both off the runway. "We may be able to get reopened by the morning shift," Habiger said.
No one was speculating whether either plane would fly again. Eyewitnesses said it appeared the bottom airplane's windshield was smashed, but otherwise, neither plane was badly damaged. Both pilots said they plan to fly again.
Staff writer Julie Ann Grimm and photographer Jane Phillips contributed to this story.
Contact Tom Sharpe at 995-3813 or
tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.
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