DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man avoided injury after a small plane mishap just before 11:30a.m. Saturday in Douglas County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Cessna 177 piloted by Kenneth V. Rieck, 75, Lawrence, was traveling down runway #15 at Lawrence Regional Airport, 1930 Airport Road.
The airplane had a mechanical failure causing it to yaw to the left before it could take off.
The plane left the runway to the left. The front nose of the airplane collapsed and the airplane sustained a prop strike and damage to the front of the aircraft. The airplane came to rest facing east on runway #19.
Rieck was not injured. The FAA and NTSB will investigate the incident.