JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A single-engine general aviation aircraft made an emergency belly landing at Cecil Airport with two people on board Thursday afternoon.
According to airport spokesperson Debbie Jones, the plane's pilot declared a potential emergency when he discovered the plane’s landing gear would not deploy.
The plane is a 1965 Mooney M20C. The pilot and his female passenger were en route from Tennessee, were planning to stop at St. Simons Island for lunch when they realized the landing gear was stuck.
The pilot said he tried everything and contacted a Mooney mechanic while still in flight to troubleshoot. Ultimately, he ended up circling Cecil Airport for about a half-hour to burn fuel before it was brought down and quickly stopped.
