SEQUIM — A student pilot on a solo flight escaped with only minor injuries when his small plane overturned while landing Sunday afternoon at Sequim Valley Airport.
The plane was piloted by Dan Donovan, 55, of Sequim, who walked away from his upside-down, red and white, plans-built Bear Hawk plane.
“Like they say, any landing you can walk away from is a good one,” Donovan said.
The landing was going well until a side-gust caught the plane’s tail.
“I hit the brakes and shouldn’t have,” Donovan said.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Turner said he believed the damage and injuries were minor because of the slow speed of the aircraft at the time.
Donovan said he is a student pilot and made his first solo flight Aug. 18.
Damage to the plane appeared to be limited to prop and nose damage, but it had yet to be righted for further inspection.
“It’s repairable,” Donovan said. “An airplane is a hole in the sky you throw money into.”
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
