A plane hit a deer on take-off from the Upshur County Regional Airport Wednesday prompting a large emergency response that brought together many different agencies.
However, the deer was a decoy, the injuries to patients a product of moulage, and the exercise a drill designed to test the airport’s new emergency response plan.
Amy Heimberger Lopez, senior controller with JH Consulting who designed the exercise, said “The scenario was a plane on take-off from the runway hit a deer and the pilot lost control and veered off the runway,” she said.
“One of the engines was on fire and the cabin was filled with smoke. We had eight patients on board – two pilots and six passengers – all who had injuries ranging from minor to severe.
“The reason we do this is because the airport recently updated their emergency action plan.