Plane has trouble during takeoff at private airstrip.
ORRVILLE A small single-engine airplane with two people aboard crashed shortly after takeoff about 9:50 a.m. Friday near State Route 57, just north of Five Points Road.
According to Orrville Fire Chief Chris Bishop, the plane took off from a private landing strip nearby and failed to get any lift, crashing after getting about 30 feet off the ground. The front end hit first, and then the plane flipped over. According to the State Highway Patrol, which is investigating the crash, the pilot guided the plane down to avoid hitting the wires that run along the road.
The two occupants — Larry Markley, the pilot, and his wife Sally — were transported to Aultman Orrville Hospital with minor injuries, Bishop said.
When the first medics arrived they were still in the plane seat-belted, and medics helped them out of the plane.
The plane crashed within about 30 feet of a nearby house.
Reporter Jack Rooney can be reached at 330-287-1645 or jrooney@the-daily-record.com. He is on Twitter at twitter.com/RooneyReports.