A small airplane with three people in it made a successful emergency landing Monday morning at Oak Tree Landing Airport.
The airport, which is northwest of Newberry and southwest of High Springs on the Alachua/Gilchrist County line, is unmanned but has a paved airstrip.
The High Springs Fire Department (HSFD) responded to the scene at about 10:30 a.m. after receiving a report of an aircraft in distress.
“Once on scene, firefighters reported a small, single-engine airplane with three subjects on board, at the end of the runway,” HSFD spokesperson Kevin Mangan said in an email to local media outlets.
The aircraft, which had taken off from Jacksonville, made the emergency landing after experiencing engine failure due to a loss of oil.
“The pilot was able to safely navigate the plane to Oak Tree Landing without incident,” Mangan wrote. “No injuries or other fire hazards were reported.”
In addition to HSFD, personnel from Alachua County Fire Rescue, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the city of Newberry, and the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the scene.
According to the Statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study, Oak Tree Landing primarily supports recreational flying and some military exercises and trainings.
“The airport also frequently supports aerial law enforcement and search and rescue efforts,” the study said. “The airport is also occasionally used for agricultural spraying, business activity, aerial photography, and emergency medical aviation.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
