A Greenbrier man died Monday after his airplane clipped a tree during an aborted landing, then crashed at the Arkavalley Airport in Faulkner County, authorities said.
Faulkner County sheriff’s Deputy Matt Rice didn’t identify the victim, but airport manager Bill Hooten said Chuck Snider of Greenbrier died in the crash.
Hooten said Snider bought the airplane, an Ercoupe 415 low-wing monoplane, in North Carolina last weekend and was flying it back to Greenbrier when it crashed at 11:20 a.m. He said Snider had approached the airport’s asphalt runway but suddenly pulled the plane skyward in an attempt to abort the landing.
“He tried to go around and do it again,” Hooten said. “He clipped a tree and crashed into a field.”
Rice said the plane burstinto flames. Crews at the scene quickly extinguished the blaze, Rice said.
Faulkner County Coroner Patrick Moore pronounced the victim dead, Rice said.
The weather was clear at the time of the landing, Hooten said.
The Arkavalley Airport, about 5 miles southeast of Greenbrier, features a 40-foot wide, 3,133-foot long asphalt runway. About 25-30 aircraft land at the airport weekly, Hooten said.
Snider, who Hooten said was in his 80s, flew for years.
“He was a good pilot,” Hooten said. “This was the first time he had flown this plane.”
Rice said Faulkner County sheriff ’s deputies stayed at the crash site until inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration arrived to investigate.
“He was a really nice guy,” Hooten said of Snider. “He was easy going, a good guy.”
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 04/23/2013