WXCE Radio-Surprise
Landing
Friday, March 22, 2002
Several motorists were surprised by an airplane landing on Highway 64 in
Saint Croix County Wednesday afternoon. According to Sheriff Dennis
Hillstead, 61-year-old Thomas Chaklos of Shakopee, Minnesota was flying from
Eau Claire to New Richmond just before one o'clock when he lost power to both
of the airplanes engines. Chaklos was able to land the plane without causing
injury to himself or his passenger 69-year-old John Sullivan of Burnsville,
Minnesota. The aircraft touched down halfway between New Richmond and Deer
Park, breaking some power lines and knocking down some road signs. The F-A-A
has taken over the investigation into why the 1954 Beach Model B-50 had to
make the unexpected landing.
(The New Richmond News reports the plane might have run out of fuel.)
