Small plane goes down into trees after takeoff at Shawnee airport

Monday, April 17th 2006, 5:58 am

By: News On 6

TECUMSEH, Okla. (AP) -- Authorities say a small airplane went down into some trees after taking off from a private airstrip at the Shawnee Municipal Airport but no one aboard was hurt.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Piper PA-22 propeller plane had ascended about 40 feet above the tree line when the pilot, Jim Randolph Hunt, experienced difficulty maintaining air speed, causing the aircraft to settle last night.

Troopers say the nose gear scraped the tree tops and the aircraft descended nose down, eventually coming to rest in the trees near Tucker Road near US 177 around 8:20 PM.

The patrol says three passengers, including two teenagers, were also aboard the aircraft.

Troopers say the Federal Aviation Administration was notified and will contact Hunt.