Landing Gear Fails, Two Passengers Injured in Santa Barbara Air Mishap
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SANTA BARBARA — Two passengers were injured, one seriously, when a Wings West Airlines plane was forced to execute a “wheels-up” landing after its landing gear failed to deploy Thursday evening at Santa Barbara Airport, authorities said.
A portion of the plane’s propeller broke away on impact with the runway, penetrated the plane’s fuselage and injured two men on board, airport officials said.
One man sustained a fractured leg, and the other suffered facial cuts. Neither was immediately identified.
The plane, a Merlin Metroliner, carried nine passengers and two crew members on the flight which originated at Los Angeles International Airport.
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