NEDERLAND, Texas — A small plane was forced to make a hard landing at Jack Brooks Regional Airport after multiple pieces of landing gear fell into the yards of two Nederland homes
A call came in saying that a small airplane had lost a portion of its landing gear over North 34th St. in Nederland around 5:15 p.m. on July 25, 2023.
The small plane had radio contact with the air traffic control tower at the airport according to a news release from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Airport Manager Alex Rupp tells 12News a pilot and student pilot were onboard the plane doing a lesson to and from the airport.
Rupp says the pilot didn't know they had lost their wheel and pieces of landing gear until they tried to land.
The pilot was able to successfully make an emergency landing and no injuries are reported.
Homeowner Paul Hussey tells 12News he didn't see the plane, but he heard it.
"All of a sudden I heard what sounded like an explosion, and I mean an impact explosion, and it stunned me," Hussey said.
Hussey says he was outside his home talking on the phone when he heard the loud noise.
"We live in with refineries all around us, first thing that comes to your mind is some sort of explosion. Maybe it was a car tire," he said.
The loud noise was actually the tire that fell off the small plane.
"As I got closer to it, I realized it was plane tire, and then I looked over to my right, and I could see what would be a rim a rotor to the tire. Then, I could see hydraulic hoses and disc brakes over in the middle of my yard," Hussey said.
Rupp says earlier in the day, the student pilot made a rough landing, which they believe may have damaged one of the plane's three landing gears.
"Nobody got hurt thank God. We lived around this airport for years and never had anything like this happen. This is not common," Hussey said.
Rupp says there are three tires total on the plane and confirmed it was the front left landing gear that fell off which includes the wheel, the strut and pipe tubing.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified.
This incident was a multi-agency response by the Nederland Police Department, the Nederland Fire Department, the Jack Brooks Regional Airport Fire Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Anyone who finds parts believed to belong to the plane are encouraged to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 409-835-8668.
From a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office news release:
This afternoon around 5:15 p.m. 911 calls came in regarding a small airplane that had lost a portion of its landing gear over 34th street in Nederland, Texas. The small plane had radio contact with the air traffic control tower at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport. The pilot was able to make an emergency landing at the airport. No injuries are reported. Jack Brooks Regional Airport Manager Alex Rupp advised that the FAA has been notified and at this time, the airport remains closed. If anyone finds parts believed to belong to the plane, please contact Jefferson County Sheriff's Office-Texas at 409-835-8668. This was a multi-agency response with Nederland PD, Nederland FD, Airport FD and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.