Friday, September 27, 2013

FAA: Low-flying plane was a C-17 practicing takeoffs, landings at Harrisburg International Airport

Update: The mystery has been solved. Here's the explanation from the Federal Aviation Administration:

A military C-17 practiced takeoffs and landings yesterday at Harrisburg International Airport. After its last practice departure, the flight continued on visual flight rules. This means the flight was not receiving air traffic control service.

The FAA referred questions regarding where the aircraft is based and where it was heading to the military.

Update: YDR readers flocked to Facebook Friday night -- and again this morning -- to talk about what they saw, describing how low the plane was and how loud it was.

Reporters are still working to track down officials to talk about why the plane was in the area and why it was so low.

Related links:

This low-flying military plane came and left the sky over York County's safely. Not all have  York County reacts to low-flying

Previously reported: Officials at Dover and McGuire Air Force Bases are checking their records to see if it was their low-flying plane spotted around York County Friday afternoon.

Word of the plane started spreading through social media around 6:30 p.m. in West York, and West Manchester and Springettsbury townships. An official at Dover Air Force base looked at a photo of the aircraft and said he thought it was a C-17 Air Force plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it had no reports of a plane in distress. And Fort Indiantown Gap said it's not its plane either.

An official with Harrisburg International Airport said they would have noticed a plane like that, and it was not practicing maneuvers there.

Daily Record/Sunday News readers flocked to Facebook Friday evening for reports on the aircraft. They speculated it was a military plane, and many said it's a common occurrence.

Others said the plane's noise and low altitude scared them at home or on their afternoon commutes home.

See what others were saying about the low-flying plane on Facebook. 

http://mediacenter.ydr.com/photos-low-flying-plane

Story, Photo and Comments/Reaction:  http://www.ydr.com

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