Airplane Lands Off The Runway At Beverly Airport

BEVERLY AIRPORT (CBS) -- A small plane at Beverly Regional Airport ran off the runway Friday, according to the FAA. They said the Piper PA-28 ran off the end of the runway around 1:40 p.m.

According to the airport manager, a male student pilot in his early thirties was touching down for a landing and about to take off again during a "touch and go landing" when the plane began veering to the left. They said he realized he could not take off again due to a technical issue with the plane, and the plane came to a stop in a grass-covered safety area beyond the edge of the runway.

The airport manager said the man was a student at the Beverly Flight Center, a flight school that operates at the airport. He declined medical attention and was the only person in the plane.

First-responders found that the plane was not leaking fuel and that there was no fire, although the plane was missing a wheel and sustained damage in the landing, the airport manager said.

The airport closed for a short time because of the incident.

The FAA said it will investigate and that the NTSB will determine the probable cause of the accident.