AURORA, Ore. -- A small plane crashed into a house near the Aurora Airport Friday afternoon and the pilot walked away with minor injuries.
Marion County deputies said 70-year-old George Bahrman was doing touch and go landings at the Aurora Airport when the plane veered off course and crashed into the mobile home on 14071 N. Cessna Street just after noon.
Bahrman was able to climb up on the roof and was taken to a local hospital, but should be fine, deputies said. He was listed in serious condition at OHSU. No one else was aboard. A small fire broke out, but was soon put out by emergency crews The Federal Aviation Administration said they sent investigators to the scene.
Homeowner Sally Jones said she came outside just before the crash and eventually turned around to find the conscious, but dazed pilot sitting on top of her garage. She was not injured. Her 18-year-old dog also escaped injury.
"I had just checked on my little dog, she was OK, sleeping on the couch on the side of the house," Jones said, "I went out my door and closed it and then I was on the ground ... bang!"
"It blew me off the porch and on the ground," she said.
The 1956 Champion model plane was registered to David Waggoner, Howard Howard and Fine Aircraft, LLC out of Aurora.
Jones said after she stood up she could smell the leaking fuel and saw the smoke. She said she screamed for the pilot and called 9-1-1.
She later located Bahrman on the garage roof as neighbors rushed over with a ladder to get him down.
A cause was under investigation.
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KGW Reporter Katherine Cook, Bruce Williams and Justin Burton contributed to this report
