MANKATO — A single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza G35 went off the runway at the Mankato Regional Airport Monday after the pilot reportedly mistakenly hit a switch retracting the front wheel after landing.
The plane had just landed at 5:53 p.m. and the pilot was throttling down the engine when he flipped the wrong switch, causing the front landing gear to rise, according to a summary of the incident delivered during Monday night’s Mankato City Council meeting. Although that resulted in the plane going off the runway, there were no injuries to the pilot, who was the only person on board.
The amount of damage to the plane is unknown at this time, but initial reports that it was on fire were unfounded, City Manager Susan Arntz said. The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.