A routine early-morning flight into Geauga County turned dicey yesterday when a small airplane with mechanical trouble made an emergency landing in a Middlefield Township field. The pilot of the 1976 Cessna 310R, en route from Morristown, New Jersey, reported issues in the air and brought the plane down near the intersection of State Route 608 and Nauvoo Road. The pilot was not injured, and crews from the Middlefield Fire Department and the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office responded while federal inspectors prepared to review the aircraft.
Troopers Say Plane Put Down Safely in a Field
Troopers said they were notified at 5:54 a.m. and found the aircraft in a field northeast of the SR 608 and Nauvoo Road intersection, according to News 5 Cleveland. Before setting down, the pilot had been in contact with Cleveland air traffic control, then walked away from the landing unhurt, the patrol’s release states. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Chardon post is handling the on-scene investigation, while the Federal Aviation Administration carries out an independent inspection of the aircraft.
Nearby Airport Has Seen Recent Scares
Just a few weeks earlier, a separate “gear-up” landing at the county field on May 14 briefly closed the Geauga County Airport, as reported by Cleveland19, and Hoodline previously covered that May incident as a gear scare. The county-owned field sits about a mile southeast of Middlefield and handles mostly general aviation traffic, according to the Geauga County Airport.
Investigation and Next Steps
The FAA typically documents mechanical issues as part of its inspections, and the OSHP will file a report on the aviation emergency, News 5 Cleveland noted. County and airport officials reported no fuel leaks and no apparent damage to airport infrastructure during their initial checks, and they plan to release more details once on-scene inspections are complete. This story will be updated as troopers or federal investigators publish their formal findings.
