Three Escape Injury As Plane Makes Emergency Landing In Sparks Parking Lot-This Day In Norwood History-September 8, 1965

EMERGENCY LANDING—A Miami pilot and his two sons escaped injury last Saturday morning when plane made an emergency landing on parking lot of Sparks store after developing engine trouble on takeoff. Firemen doused the plane with foam to prevent fire.

A Miami pilot and his two sons escaped injury last Saturday morning when their plane that had just taken off from the Norwood Airport made an emergency landing on the parking lot of Sparks Department Store from an altitude of about 300 feet.

The plane, a Cessana 170, blew a cylinder soon after takeoff enroute to Washington, D. C , forcing the pilot, Marvin Hodges, to make the emergency landing in the parking lot in the rear of the Sparks store just off Rte. 1. With Hodges were his two sons, Charles, 11, and Robert, 9.

The Norwood police and fire departments were advised and all available pieces of fire apparatus and the police ambulance rushed to the scene.

The pilot and his sons were unhurt in the mishap, but one of the plane’s wings struck a post and was sheared off while the other wing was damaged and a tire punctured. The engine was leaking gasoline but firefighters sprayed the plane with foam and no fire resulted from the crash.

The fire department was notified of the forced landing at 9:55 a.m and stayed at the scene until 11.20 a m. The call for assistance came from the Wiggins Airways office.