FAA to investigate emergency landing at Sikorsky Memorial Airport

A privately-owned airplane was forced to make an emergency landing Saturday afternoon at Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
Officials say the vintage aircraft, made in the 1960s, was forced to land at around 4 p.m. after it lost a wheel from its landing gear upon takeoff.
News 12 Connecticut is told that the pilot was flying with one passenger onboard.
Officials say the pilot sent word to the control tower, saying he needed to land the plane. Emergency services rushed to the scene to construct a “belly landing” and laid down foam for the emergency landing.
They say the pilot was able to land the plane safely and no one was injured.
"The collaboration and the response - it could not have gone any better,” said Airport Manager Michelle Muoio. “It was very quick. There was mutual aid, response was here, and everybody worked together as a team. Just very happy with the results. Very happy that there were no injuries and no significant damage."
The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to remove the small jet and perform a full investigation of the incident this week.
The airport must then do a runway inspection before it can be reopened.
They have not yet released the name of the pilot, but say he owns the aircraft and has kept it at the airport for several years.