A twin-engine plane bound for Texas had to turn back and make an unusual landing at Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after the pilot discovered a tow bar was still clamped to the aircraft's front wheel. The pilot circled the airport several times before setting the plane down without injury, holding the nose gear off the runway as long as possible to avoid damage.
The plane had taken off from Sundance Airport, according to Gulf Coast News and Weather, with the tow bar still attached to the front wheel. The pilot diverted to Wiley Post Airport, per FlightAware.com data cited in that report, rather than continuing toward the flight's original Texas destination. Sundance Airport is in Oklahoma City and has a Yukon mailing address, making Wiley Post an immediate option once the problem was spotted.
KOCO's Sky 5 helicopter captured video showing the pilot circling the airport multiple times. Air traffic control communications from the incident indicate the pilot lowered the landing gear while circling so tower controllers could get a visual look at the aircraft, with a controller confirming the tow bar was hanging roughly 45 degrees below the nose wheel, according to video posted to Facebook capturing the exchange.
A Careful Go-Around Before Touchdown
After that visual confirmation, the pilot executed a go-around before ultimately landing on Runway 17R, holding the nose wheel off the pavement for as long as possible during the approach, the same Facebook video shows. The plane landed without further issue, and no injuries were reported.
Wiley Post Airport, which sits on roughly 1,100 acres with three runways, serves as Oklahoma City's main airport for general aviation and is home base for more than 400 general aviation aircraft, according to the National Business Aviation Association. Both Wiley Post and nearby Clarence E. Page Airport are owned by the City of Oklahoma City and operated through the Oklahoma City Department of Airports and Oklahoma City Airport Trust to support general and corporate aviation across the metro, per the city's own account.
Why a Forgotten Tow Bar Is So Dangerous
Preflight safety guidance emphasizes checking the aircraft before flight and removing any tow bar, as detailed by North Star VFR. That same source notes that skipped preflight checks, such as failing to remove a tow bar, have contributed to accidents.
The stakes of skipping that check can be severe. The incident underscores the importance of removing tow bars before flight.
Second Sundance-Area Scare This Year
The incident described above involved a plane that had taken off from Sundance Airport. Pilot guidance recommends removing a tow bar before flight.
In this case, that oversight ended with a safe landing rather than a damaged airframe. The plane touched down at Wiley Post without further incident after the pilot and controllers worked together to manage the descent, bringing a tense few minutes over northwest Oklahoma County to an uneventful close.
