Ultralight Plane Crashes At Ripley Festival

Source from:  wcpo.com 8/23  08/25/2008

An ultralight plane crashed into the Ohio River Friday night. It happened as people lined the streets for the annual Tobacco Festival parade in Ripley, Ohio. Festival-goers were right in the middle of watching the parade when the plane went down. When some of them got down to the river, they saw the plane being towed in behind a pontoon boat that happened to be out there. Home video shot by the publisher of The Ripley Bee shows Richard Swope Jr.'s ultralight on shore. It's what is called a "sky pup." "It was a little red, single-engine, homemade plane," said Adam Pennington, of the Ripley police department. "Didn't even have a windshield in it." Swope's wife told 9News that he was flying low over the river when his engine sputtered and he went in. Officers Adam Pennington and Matt Staggs ran down to the water when they heard what happened. "We were actually at this traffic light up here, directing traffic when it came out over the radio," said Pennington. "We just ran up here and to our surprise there – was a plane in the river." "At first I was just trying to soak it in, and realized a plane just went down in the river," said Officer Staggs. When asked if he had ever seen anything like this before, Officer Pennington responded, "It never happened here and I've never seen anything like it." The Ohio Department of Natural Resources responded to the scene, but didn't have a comment for 9News. They did take Swope downriver for more questioning, and by appearances, he wasn't sure why. "He seemed pretty mellow for just going down in the river in a plane," said Officer Staggs. 9News has learned that Kentucky State Police (KSP) is now handling the investigation in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The river, of course, belongs to Kentucky. No word yet on whether charges will be filed. Enditem