March 28, 2024

Small plane flips over at Newton airport, no injuries occurred

NEWTON — Newton Emergency Services responded to a 911 call after reports of an airplane that flipped over at Newton Municipal Airport Saturday morning. No injuries were reported.

The pilot, Michael Bates of Nevada, was the only occupant on board of the Cessna 172. The 911 call came at approximately 9:51 a.m. Saturday morning from an onlooker.

According to a news release by the Newton Police Department, the plane landed normally, but Bates lost control of the plane and veered off the left side of the runway. The wreck occurred after the pilot hit a snow embankment, causing the plane to flip.

The door of the singe-engine, propeller-driven aircraft appeared to be jammed following the crash, initially preventing the pilot from getting out. However, Bates had already exited the small plane before emergency vehicles arrived.

Contact Alex Olp at aolp@newtondailynews.com