WRIGHT CITY, Mo. (AP) - An eastern Missouri pilot has been rescued after his plane became lodged in a tree during a crash.
KMOV reports that Lincoln County Fire and Rescue officials said 78-year-old pilot Matt Conoyer made his way onto a tree branch after crashing just before 9 a.m. Thursday in Wright City. More than two hours later, he was lowered to safety in a harness.
“He said he was doing fine but his legs were getting tired,” said Matt Conoyer of Central County Fire and Rescue, who was able to climb up to the stranded pilot.
Fleming said he has been flying since he was a teenager and was trying to land on his private airstrip in front of his home after the engine in his one-seater ultralight plane began to sputter. He tried to clear the trees between him and the runway.
“I thought, ‘Well, I’m gonna make it,’” he said.
Fleming was looked over by medical personnel at the scene, but was not injured.
Officials said now that Fleming is safe, they will look over the plane to ensure it doesn’t fall and injure anyone but they believe it is securely in the tree.
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