This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Two people escaped injury Friday after the pilot of small plane performed a belly-landing at St. George's airport.
Airport firefighter Mike Wilde said the pilot of the an old military plane had been performing maneuvers and was getting ready to land when he realized one of his main landing gear had locked up and wouldn't lower.
Wilde said the pilot eventually decided to raise all the landing gear and attempt to touch down without any gear, on the plane's belly.
Rescue crews sprayed foam down the runway to aid the landing of the plane, which was carrying about 100 gallons of fuel.
Wilde said the plane slid about 5,000 feet down the tarmac, sparking a small fire in the craft which firefighters quickly extinguished.
"As bad as it could have been, it turned out very well," he said.
Twitter @sltribjanelle