A ** Piaggio** Avanti P-180 twin turboprop operated by fractional provider Avantair was destroyed while attempting an emergency landing in Flint, Michigan, on Wednesday when the airplane veered off the runway on touchdown and flipped over, causing minor injuries to the four people on board.
The Avanti was en route from Detroit to West Bend, Wisconsin, when engine trouble reportedly developed. The crew declared an emergency and diverted to Flint’s Bishop International Airport. When the Avanti touched down on the runway, it veered to the right and flipped over once, according to witness reports. Rescue crews sprayed the airplane with foam retardant to prevent a fire and pried open the door to reach the two passengers and two pilots inside, who were all still strapped in their seats upside down.
Video footage shot after the crash showed the Avanti in the grass next to the runway, with skid marks revealing its path as it departed the runway. In the video, the airplane’s left propeller is feathered.
The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash, which was the first in Avantair’s eight-year history.
