A small banner-towing plane crashed at North Perry Airport Thursday afternoon, officials confirmed, just over a week after another banner-towing plane crashed after departing the airport.
The single-engine Piper PA-25 crashed in a field about 12:15 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in an email.
Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue responded to North Perry Airport grounds and transported the pilot to Memorial Regional Hospital, spokesperson Scott Gunn said in an email. He was the plane’s only occupant.
Fire Rescue had to extricate the pilot from the wreckage, Gunn said. He is in stable condition but sustained “significant injuries.”
The airport closed down Thursday for a time due to the accident, Arlene Satchell, a spokesperson for the airport, said in an email. Shortly after, it reopened its south runway.
Footage from local TV stations shows the wreckage of a small yellow plane lying on a field. The plane’s N-number is registered to Aerial Banners North Inc., according to FAA records.
Last Wednesday, the 28-year old pilot of another yellow banner-towing plane of the same model died after crashing outside of a Target shopping center in Hollywood, just over 5 miles from North Perry. The plane was assigned to Aerial Banners Inc., an LLC under the same owner as Aerial Banners North, Bob Benyo.
Officials are still investigating the cause of that crash.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate Thursday’s crash. The NTSB will lead the investigation.
