KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsNeb. man crashes on 1st ultralight solo flight
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Associated Press - June 17, 2009 5:15 PM ET
HARRISON, Neb. (AP) - A 60-year-old Panhandle man who crashed his ultralight aircraft on his first solo flight is recovering at a Scottsbluff hospital.
The Nebraska State Patrol says witnesses reported that Dan Coffee took off from his property about seven miles northeast of Harrison. He had been in the air for only a few seconds before attempting a turn at about 200 feet.
The aircraft, which is controlled by shifts in the pilot's weight, dropped back down to the ground and cartwheeled after it hit.
Authorities say Coffee has a license for fixed-wing aircraft, but the flight Tuesday morning was his first ultralight solo.
A spokeswoman at Regional West Medical Center said Coffee was in fair condition Wednesday. She would not describe his injuries.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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