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2 Women Injured In Small-Plane Crash

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 13, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Two St. Petersburg women were hurt when the small plane they were in skidded off a runway and crashed early Friday 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 injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said.

Two runways at the airport were closed after 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.

Authorities said a gust of wind may have forced Shannon to overcorrect.

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

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

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

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