BROKEN BOW, Okla. (AP) — A woman riding a lawnmower next to an airport runway was struck and killed by the wing of a small airplane, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Samantha Hayes, 27, of Idabel died Friday at Broken Bow Municipal Airport, about 185 miles (298 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, according to an OHP report.
James Baxter, the pilot of the single engine aircraft, a Bonanza A36, told investigators he saw Hayes after touching down on the runway about 2:30 p.m. and tried to pull up and fly over her, but she was hit by a wing, the OHP said.
“We’re investigating whether any charges could filed against the pilot,” OHP spokesperson Sarah Stewart said Monday, “Did the pilot do anything wrong or was this just unavoidable?”
Stewart said other questions about the episode remained under investigation, including whether the woman was wearing reflective clothing and if she even saw the airplane.
Stewart said the Federal Aviation Administration was investigating any potential regulatory violations regarding the pilot and the aircraft.
The FAA did not immediately return requests for comment.
The Broken Bow city manager, who is also listed as the airport manager, did not immediately return messages for comment.
weaselmaster on October 2nd, 2023 at 22:01 UTC »
Wow.
The AP could write a best selling guide to How Not To Build A Website.
BranWafr on October 2nd, 2023 at 18:42 UTC »
Story doesn't seem as weird as the headline makes it out to be. Sounds like she was mowing the grass next to a runway at a small airport and a pilot coming in for a landing was not aware she was there and was unable to pull up in time to miss her by the time he realized she was there.
Tragic, yes, but probably something that comes close to happening more often than people might think at small airports. I'm guessing there are a decent amount of near misses of people too close to a runway at small airports every year.