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Small Plane Crashes At St. Pete-Clearwater Airport; 2 Hurt

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TBO.com

Published: September 12, 2008

Updated: 09/12/2008 12:48 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - Two St. Petersburg women were hurt when the small plane they were in skidded off a runway and crashed early this morning at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, Pinellas County authorities said.

Pilot Donna F. Shannon, 53, and Tosha M. Zimmerman, 30, climbed out of the wreckage and walked to the terminal. At the terminal, they got the attention of an airline employee, who contacted the Pinellas sheriff's deputy on duty at the airport, airport spokeswoman Michele Routh said.

Shannon was taken to Tampa General Hospital, and Zimmerman was transported to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, each with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

Two runways at the airport were closed following the 12:14 a.m. wreck and reopened at 4:15 a.m., Routh said.

Shannon told deputies she was trying to land and lost control of the plane. The single-engine plane skidded off the runway and came to rest in a grassy area, authorities said.

The airport control tower was closed at the time of the crash, and there are no other witnesses. Federal investigators are expected at the airport today to begin investigating, Routh said.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board's Web site, the 1967 Bellanca 1730 and is registered to Shannon.

Tribune reporter Steve Thompson and News Channel 8 reporter Chip Osowski contributed to this report.

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