Cortland County Sheriff's officials and the FAA are investigating the crash of a small airplane Christmas Eve that left the pilot injured.

Kathy Whyte/WNBF News
Kathy Whyte/WNBF News
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Authorities say at around 5:46 p.m. the Sheriff's office was called to the Cortland County Airport for the crash of a single engine plane.

The pilot said he had been doing some practice take off and landing exercises at the airport for about an hour and had just completed a landing when he lost control of the aircraft.  The 1966 Cherokee airplane left the runway, hit a snowbank and flipped onto its roof.

The pilot, whose name has not been released, was able to get out of the plane on  his own and was taken by private vehicle to a nearby hospital for treatment of a cut to the head.

The airplane appears to be a total loss.

The airport runway was closed for about three-and-a-half hours before the plane could be removed.

The Cortland County Sheriff's Office has been in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration and the investigation is continuing.

 

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