Headline: Second Small Plane Crashes in Pr. George's

Source: Associated Press via Washington Post, 5 July 2001

URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22489-2001Jul5.html

For the second time today, there has been a plane crash in Prince George’s County.

Chauncey Bowers with Prince George's Fire and EMS says another small plane went down around 1 p.m. at Belair Drive and Beechtree Lane, near Route 50 and Route 3 in Bowie. Mary Moorehead with the U.S. Census Bureau says the crash happened across the street from their offices, on Melford Boulevard, near Route 3.

Bowers says several occupants were seen moving around on the ground near the wreckage.

The pilot of another small plane and his 12-year-old son are recovering from injuries following this morning’s crash of their single engine aircraft in Fort Washington.

The father was attempting a take-off from Potomac Air Field in his Stinson 108, when the engine quit. He tried to make an emergency landing, but crashed on a sandbar in a creek, about 200-yards inside the woods.

According to Maryland State Police, the 12-year-old suffered a broken nose and bruises. His father suffered bruises. They were found sitting on the creek bank when rescuers arrived. Both were flown to Prince George’s Hospital Center where they’re in fair condition. The blue and white aircraft suffered wing damage.

The end of the airport’s 26-hundred foot runway is located just two-thousand feet from homes in the Featherstone section.

There was no fire. State police and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

-- Andre Weltman (aweltman@state.pa.us), July 05, 2001