ELLSWORTH COUNTY, Kan. — A Texas pilot miraculously walked away without injuries after crash-landing a vintage single-engine plane in a rural field late Thursday evening.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the incident occurred just before 9:00 p.m. when a 1966 Cessna, piloted by 43-year-old John J. Shaffer of Tuscola, Texas, ran out of fuel while in flight.
Faced with an empty tank, Shaffer managed to guide the aircraft down to a forced landing at 325 20th Road northeast of Ellsworth, roughly one mile west of the intersection of 20th Road and Avenue D.
First responders checked Shaffer at the scene, and the KHP confirmed that he suffered no apparent injuries in the crash. Local authorities are investigating the incident, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been notified.
