The disabled aircraft owned Piper Aztec on Cyril E. King Airport runway. Photo Credit: VIPA
The Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas was temporarily closed at 12:57 p.m. Tuesday after a disabled aircraft came to a stop on the airport’s only runway, forcing a brief suspension of operations while crews carried out recovery work and safety checks.
According to the V.I. Port Authority, the aircraft involved was a privately owned Piper Aztec, tail number N6485Y. The plane landed at the airport at approximately 12:57 p.m. while conducting touch-and-go maneuvers. After what VIPA described as a safe landing, the aircraft experienced a flat tire, leaving it disabled on the runway.
Two people were aboard the aircraft at the time of the incident. Neither was injured.
Because the aircraft remained on the runway, the airport was temporarily closed while recovery operations were conducted. VIPA said the plane was successfully removed, after which airport personnel carried out the required runway safety inspections.
The runway at Cyril E. King Airport reopened at 1:55 p.m. once inspections confirmed it was safe for normal operations to resume.
VIPA apologized for the inconvenience caused by the temporary closure and said safety remains the authority’s top priority. The agency also thanked all personnel and partner agencies who assisted in the safe and efficient removal of the aircraft.
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