Wheels up

A Cessna 182 flipped over during an attempted landing at Lincoln Airport Sunday June 30.

According to Lincoln Fire Chief Zach Muse, a wind gust caught the aircraft as it came in for a landing just before noon. The pilot was unsuccessful in his attempt to abort the landing and front wheel dug into the dirt alongside the runway, flipping the small plane.

In a informational release, Lewis and Clark County Deputy Sheriff Robert Rivera said the pilot and his passenger were from Nevada and walked away from the crash without injury.

Rivera said The Lincoln Volunteer Fire Department and the Lincoln Volunteer Ambulance responded to assist with possible injuries and fuel leakage. The investigation has been turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Mark Smith used a backhoe to move the aircraft to a safer location away from the runway, which allowed the airport to re-open.

"Everyone did a great job with their response and assisting others to ensure the airport got back up and running smoothly," Rivera said .