Rexburg man safe after plane crashes in Teton River
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REXBURG — A local pilot walked away from a plane crash uninjured Saturday morning.
Rexburg Police Lt. Ron Ball tells EastIdahoNews.com, the pilot, whose name has not been released, was coming in for a landing at the Rexburg Madison County Airport at around 10:30 a.m.
But before reaching the runway, the engine on the plane unexpectedly failed and the plane crashed into the ground in front of the Teton River and slid into the water.
“The engine quit just short of the runway and he didn’t have enough speed to make it,” Ball said. “He ended up in the river, but got caught up in some willows.”
The willows prevented the plane from drifting downstream. The pilot was able to get out of his aircraft, but was stranded in the river until a local farmer was able to pull him to shore.
The plane was a complete loss.
The FAA will arrive Monday to investigate the crash and determine why the plane’s engine failed.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article said airport workers pulled the pilot to safety. That was incorrect. The pilot was pulled to safety by a nearby farmer. EastIdahoNews.com apologies for the error.
