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FAA to investigate after plane slides off runway during attempted takeoff in Harnett Co.

Members of the FAA will be on the scene at the Harnett County Regional Airport early Friday after a plane ran off the runway after attempting a takeoff on Thursday.

Posted Updated

By
Rosalia Fodera, WRAL News reporter
and
Jason O. Boyd, WRAL.com editor
ERWIN, N.C. — Members of the FAA will be on the scene at the Harnett County Regional Airport early Friday after a plane ran off the runway while attempting a takeoff on Thursday.

A trooper with the NC State Highway Patrol said officials received a call at 4:26 p.m. of an aircraft issue. They said a pilot, Gilberto Guitarte of Cary, was trying to take off in his plane when, for some unknown reason, it went off the runway and into some trees that were several yards off from the runway.

Harnett County plane crash

Guitarte walked away and was not taken to the hospital, officials said.

A spokesperson with the FAA said there was a question whether the brakes locked up or if there was a mechanical issue. Officials said there was no debris or other obstacles that would have caused it to crash.

The plane was being removed from the trees by a tow truck early Thursday night.

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