ADEL, Ga. (WALB) — A Piper Arrow small aircraft made an emergency landing Tuesday, Oct. 21 at Cook County Airport after its retractable landing gear malfunctioned due to an apparent electrical outage.

|READ MORE: Quick response and pilot skill prevent disaster in Adel emergency landing|

New video shows the aircraft lining up with a grassy field at the airport before touching down on its belly. The airport manager, Jerry Connell, was notified about a pilot in distress by local authorities. Connell called the pilot and walked him through emergency procedures and aircraft landing gear failsafes.

After several attempts to lower the landing gear failed, it was decided an emergency landing must be performed. Connell and an aircraft mechanic advised landing in the grass alongside the main runway was the best option for a safe landing.

“I was so happy to be able to help that pilot and help him and help remind him to continue to fly the airplane no matter what, don’t think about what’s going to happen to it when it hits the ground.

I can tell any pilot ‘if you are worried about putting a plane on the ground, you can get another airplane.’ The number one job of a pilot is to continue to fly the airplane all the way down to the ground and just as straight and level and softly as you can when you make contact with the earth, and he did a masterful job of that.”

Connell said the pilot remained calm and collected throughout the flight. The pilot was uninjured in the landing. He was the only person on the plane.

Connell credited quick communication between Cook County EMS, Adel Police and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for the positive outcome. He thanked them for their quick response and willingness to jump into action when called upon.

Connell said the plane suffered what appeared to be an electrical outage that caused the landing gear to malfunction. The airport has returned to normal operations.

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