Mike Carr of the Saint John Fire Department speaks with reporters after a small plane landed on its roof at the Saint John Airport on August 6, 2019. (Danielle McCreadie)
Operations have resumed at the Saint John Airport after a small plane left the runway and landed on its roof.
Fire crews from the airport and the city of Saint John were called to the scene shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Mike Carr, a platoon chief with the Saint John Fire Department, said they located the plane about 70 metres from the runway.
“The Saint John Airport fire staff removed the pilot, who has undetermined injuries but was transported with Ambulance New Brunswick to the Saint John Regional Hospital,” said Carr.
In a tweet early Tuesday afternoon, the Saint John Police Force said the pilot remains in hospital in stable condition.
Carr said it is believed the single-engine private aircraft was taking off from the airport when the crash occurred.
There was no fire as a result of the incident, he said.
No word on whether the is a frequent user of the private runways, but in an emailed statement, the airport says that in order to use the airport facilities you have to have a valid pilot’s licence.
Huge line up of people rebooking fights. One passenger said this is his fourth time since last Sunday his flight to Montreal has been cancelled, and he will likely have to cancel his trip. pic.twitter.com/vRGtjWdbgM
— Danielle McCreadie (@danimccreadie) August 6, 2019
Some flights were delayed or cancelled after the crash, leaving many passengers scrambling to try and rebook their flights.
Anthony Williamson is trying to get to Kelowna but his connecting flight to Montreal was cancelled.
“Obviously it’s going to delay my day, but I’m not really too worried about it,” said Williamson. “I don’t have any place to exactly be.”
Greg Hierlihy, the finance director for the airport, explained why they closed the runway briefly even though the plane landed 70 metres away from it.
“When an incident like this happens, we obviously are very cautionary, and with firefighters and police on the runway, you just have to immediately close the runway down,” Hierlihy said.
Hierlihy said the Transportation Safety Board has been sent information and pictures of the scene.
The TSB has confirmed it will not be investigating the crash.
