PLANE SHY ONE WORKING WHEEL LANDS SAFELY AT CAPE AIRPORT

A pilot safely landed his single-engine plane at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Saturday even though one of its three landing gear failed to deploy.

Just before 2 p.m., Jim Martindale was approaching the airport to refuel when the left wheel on his Meyers 200 propeller plane failed to lower into place.

"I tried to cycle it down a couple times but to no avail," said Martindale after landing.

Martindale, the plane's sole occupant, was uninjured.

"He did a really fine job of bringing it in," said one woman who witnessed the landing.

Until he approach for landing, he had experienced no trouble with the aircraft, Martindale said. The left and nose landing gear engaged properly.

"It's a vintage plane built back in the 1960s, but it's in great shape," Martindale said.

He said the left flap suffered some damage during the landing, but was unsure of the total extent of the damage to his plane. Martindale had been en route from his hometown of Austin, Texas, to Tecumseh, Mich.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the scene as a precaution when Martindale radioed in that he was experiencing problems with his landing.