Pilot released from hospital after biplane makes hard landing in Palm Springs

Emergency officials responded to the Palm Springs International Airport on Wednesday after a biplane made a hard landing on the runway, injuring two people on board.

A spokesperson with the Palm Springs Air Museum confirmed that the pilot was treated and released from the hospital on Thursday.

The Palm Springs Fire Department responded to the crash at about 1 p.m.

Officials with the Palm Springs Air Museum said the biplane was a Stearman aircraft. Spokeswoman Ann Greer said the aircraft reportedly lost power for some unknown reason before making the hard landing.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said the biplane took off and the pilot radioed that they were having engine problems, leading to the crash landing.

Palm Springs Airport Director Tom Nolan said the incident shut down airport operations for about 45 minutes. Several incoming and outgoing flights were delayed while crews worked to clear the aircraft from the runway. Runways were back open at about 2 p.m.

The FAA issued a statement saying the aircraft is a vintage Boeing PT 17 biplane. The tail number is N635555. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

The vice chair of the Palm Springs Air Museum, Fred Bell, talked to the two people who were on the plane. He says the design of the plane and the quick-thinking of the pilot helped avoid disaster.

“The wings were level, the aircraft was straight, he got the airplane straight and level as it was coming down, and the airplane took most of the energy of the landing on the runway,” said Bell.

The FAA and NTSB don’t identify people involved in aircraft incidents, officials said in the statement.

Passengers on other planes were tweeting that they weren’t being allowed to deplane for about a half hour in the aftermath of the incident.

We’ll deliver more information as the investigation into the hard landing continues.