Gov. Edgar’s Plane Hit by Lightning, Lands Safely
PEORIA, Ill. — Gov. Jim Edgar’s airplane was struck by lightning Wednesday, causing flames in its cabin, but it made a safe emergency landing. No one was injured.
The twin-engine Beechcraft King Air with six passengers, including Edgar, was flying through a storm at about 10,000 feet when it was struck about 10:35 a.m. CDT south of Peoria, said Edgar spokesman Gary Mack, who was aboard.
The pilots deployed oxygen masks and the passengers grabbed fire extinguishers, Mack said. The flames were extinguished when pilots decompressed the cabin.
The plane was met by half a dozen rescue vehicles when it landed about 12 minutes later at Greater Peoria Airport, Mack said.
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