Pilot safely lands in Wichita after small plane’s engine goes out during thunderstorm

The pilot of a small, general aviation aircraft safely landed at a Wichita airport during a severe thunderstorm after one of the plane’s engines reportedly failed.

Emergency crews were called for an airport emergency at around 7 p.m. Tuesday at Eisenhower National Airport, or ICT. Dispatchers said the left engine of a general aviation aircraft had failed.

The plane made an emergency landing at the airport about 10 minutes later as the area was under a severe thunderstorm warning. The National Weather Service warning called for wind gusts of up to 45 mph, small hail and heavy rain in Sedgwick County.

Roger Xanders, the chief of the airport police and fire department, said the plane was a Conquest. Cessna made a 441 Conquest II, a twin engine turboprop that can carry eight to 10 passengers with a flight crew of one or two pilots.

This story was originally published July 2, 2019 at 8:40 PM.