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84-Year-Old Pilot Skids Plane Off Runway At Essex County Airport: Police

An 84-year-old pilot was hospitalized for evaluation after he "aborted takeoff" in his small plane at Essex County Airport Friday, Sept. 9, authorities said.

At the scene.

At the scene.

Photo Credit: Fairfield PD

Fairfield officers found the 1970 Piper PA-39 propellered plane on the grass just off of Runway No. 4 around 11:30 a.m., local police said.

The plane was occupied by the pilot and an 83-year-old woman from Dix Hills. Neither claimed to be injured as a result of the crash. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that the plane had initially attempted to take off, but that was aborted when the pilot and passenger realized that the passenger’s door was not properly closed, police said. 

After this was corrected, the plane taxied and then attempted to take off again, but the pilot apparently aborted this take off which resulted in the plane leaving the runway. It is still unclear as to why the pilot aborted this take off. He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

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