A small plane overshot the runway at a Stark County skydiving facility Saturday morning and came to rest on Route 225, sending the pilot to the hospital with minor injuries and prompting investigations by state and federal agencies.
The 1957 Cessna, operated by Canton Airsports near Alliance, overshot its landing around 10:40 a.m. Saturday and ended up on the roadway. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The skydivers who had been aboard the aircraft had already jumped and landed safely before the plane went down.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to the scene and secured the roadway while the aircraft was removed. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating what caused the aircraft to overrun the runway.
The incident drew a heavy emergency response to the Alliance-area drop zone, which operates regular skydiving flights. No one on the ground was injured when the plane came down on the highway.
Route 225 was temporarily affected while crews cleared the aircraft. Authorities have not yet said what caused the overshoot, and the investigation is ongoing.