In the aftermath of Wednesday’s dramatic emergency landing of an A-10 C at the Carbon County Airport, the main runway 18-36 remains closed for air traffic.
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Assistant airport manager, Jennifer Jensen, reported that even with the main runway closed, the airport was open and functioning well. Carbon County does not have the proper size tow bar to help get the crippled aircraft off the runway, so it will remain until the Air Force can bring one in.
The cross wind runway 32-14 is open and functioning. With the brisk winds on Thursday, it would be the preferred runway anyway.
“It is a little inconvenient.” Jensen said, “But it is a slow time of the year and the Air Force has been great to work with and are doing everything they can to get the plane repaired and moved.”
The A-10 C Aircraft remains on the north end of runway 18-36, unable to be moved because of issues with the hydraulics. The pilot, Air Force Lt. Keith Madsen, lost power in his left engine while in transit from Davis-Mothan field, AZ to Hill AFB, UT.
Once the engine had shut down he also lost the hydraulics and could not taxi without destroying the nose of the plane. He made the decision to land.
His choices were Salt Lake, Grand Junction or Price. Salt Lake was experiencing bad weather and flying in on one engine was not optimal. Price was the closest airport with a runway long enough to allow him to land safely.
Jensen said that Madsen told her he was a little bit scared as he had only landed a disabled aircraft in a simulator. He just went through his check list and set the plane down. In the end it was a textbook landing.
There is some question about whether Davis-Mothan or Hill needs to send a repair crew in. But either way it will take a few days to assemble the tools, engine, tow bar, truck and crew before they can head to Price. For the Carbon County Airport, the time to repair the plane will mean money to the facility.
“They will be paying for a lot of services and that will be good for the airport and good for the community.” Jensen stated. “We are happy for the opportunity to support the military and they have been great to work with.”
Jensen hopes to have a better handle on the time frame of the repairs by Thursday evening.
For more information on the emergency landing, click here.
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