BURLINGTON — The cause of a plane crash that occurred Friday night just east of the Burlington Municipal Airport is unknown, after the pilot sustained at least a head injury and had to be extricated from his plane.
At about 6:15 p.m. Friday, City of Burlington Police and Fire were dispatched after a report of a downed aircraft near the airport, according to a news release issued Saturday.
Responding City of Burlington officers located the crash site west of 3801 Bieneman Road, which is north of West Chestnut Street (old Highway 11/Highway JS).
The Federal Aviation Administration said that the plane, a Cessna Centurion aircraft, had departed from West Bend with an intended destination of Burlington.
Members of the City of Burlington police and fire departments, Racine County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Burlington Fire Department and Rochester Fire Company rendered life-saving measures to the pilot, who was trapped inside the aircraft.
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Firefighters on scene reported via radio that the pilot, an 80-year-old Port Washington man, was conscious, talking to rescuers and had a visible head injury. He had been extricated by 6:50 p.m., radio reports indicated.
The pilot was transported to the Aurora Medical Center in Burlington and was later transported to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.
‘Plane took the tops off of trees’
“He’s very lucky to be alive,” said Roger Bieneman, who said the crash occurred right across the fence line of his property.
Bieneman said his neighbor told him she heard a loud crash. Soon after, he saw fire and other rescue trucks pulling into his driveway to gain access to the crash.
“The plane took the tops off of trees and knocked other trees down,” Bieneman said. “He was way ahead of the airport. He never should have been that low.”
After the crash, Bieneman said there was some confusion as to whether the iron bridge over Honey Creek that connects the Bieneman farm to Bieneman Road had been struck by the plane. That is not true, he said.
“The bridge was damaged from rescue traveling on it to get to the crash,” Bieneman said.
This investigation into the crash is ongoing and in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration, City of Burlington Police reported.
The cause of the crash was unknown as of Saturday.
Firefighters on scene reported via radio that the pilot was conscious, talking to rescuers and had a visible head injury. He had been extricated by 6:50 p.m., radio reports indicated. The pilot was transported to the Aurora Medical Center in Burlington and was later transported to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.
Assistant Managing Editor Pete Wicklund contributed to this report.
Firefighters on scene reported via radio that the pilot was conscious, talking to rescuers and had a visible head injury. He had been extricated by 6:50 p.m., radio reports indicated. The pilot was transported to the Aurora Medical Center in Burlington and was later transported to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.