“There was a small plane crash” at the Sedona Airport at 4:49 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 19, according to Jon Davis, the Sedona Fire District public information officer and fire marshal.

“It was a [Beechcraft] Bonanza A36 with three people on board,” he said. “When they took off, a door or a compartment on the airplane opened. The pilot circled back around to land and looks like he overshot the runway and ran off the end of the runway.”

SFD was dispatched to Sedona Oak Creek Airport after it was reported that a small plane had crashed and was on fire.  Upon arrival it was determined that a small plane had skidded of the south end of the runway.

“All three people got out, no inuries,” Davis said. “Capt. Pat Ojeda was first on scene, he said there was some smoke fom an overheated tire on the landing gear that had separated from the aircraft during the impact. Our guys cooled that down; there was no fire.”

“When I arrived, there was a small amount of smoke from an overheated landing gear which had separated from the aircraft upon impact” Ojeda said. “The aircraft had skidded off the runway and all occupants were safely out of, and away from the aircraft.”

Fire crews quickly cooled the overheated landing gear to keep it from igniting nearby brush.

“The plane was intact and had come to rest over a slight embankment and against the airport fence which was damaged” said Ojeda.

All three of the occupants were unharmed and declined transport for medical evaluation.

Crews were still on scene at the southeast end of the airport overlooking Sedona at 6:30 p.m.

According to SFD Governing Board member Al Comello, the pilot was on his way to Denver when the crash occurred.

“At approximately 4:45 PM a landing aircraft went off the departure end of runway 21,” Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority General Manager Deborah Abingdon stated. “Neither pilot nor either of the two passengers were injured. The [National Transportation Safety Board] is investigating the accident as per normal procedure. The airport may provide a statement once the investigation is completed.”