NASCAR Owner's Plane Crash Lands
updated by @devin: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
The Plane Carrying Rick & Linda Hendrick
Sheriff's department: Rick Hendrick, wife in plane crash
By Jim Utter - jutter@charlotteobserver.com
Monday, Oct. 31, 2011
A Gulfstream 150 jet registered to Jimmie Johnson Racing Inc. and carrying Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and his wife, Linda, crash landed at the Key West (Fla.) International Airport Monday evening, according to the Monroe County (Fla.) Sheriff's Department.
Hendrick, his wife, the pilot and co-pilot were all transported to Lower Keys hospital for further evaluation. The Sheriff's department said at least two suffered minor injuries, but it was unclear who.
According to the sheriff's department, the pilot and co-pilot radioed there were no brakes upon landing. The plane ran completely off the runway at approximately 7:45 p.m. and the runaway was closed for a short time before being reopened.
The National Transportation Safety Board was notified and will be investigating the incident.
A statement by Hendrick Motorsports said no one on board suffered any serious injuries.
Johnson drives in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Hendrick and has won the past five series championships.
Hendrick was at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Sunday for the Tums 500, where Johnson finished second in the race.
In October 2004, a plane owned by Hendrick Motorsports crashed in thick fog en route to a NASCAR race at Martinsville and killed all 10 people aboard, including the son, brother and two nieces of Rick Hendrick.
Read more: http://www.thatsracin.com/2011/10/31/78045/sheriff-department-rick-hendrick.html#ixzz1cQ8vnSYr
Posted on Monday, 10.31.11
NASCARs Rick Hendrick injured in plane crash in Key West
By CAMMY CLARK
The Miami Herald
A jet carrying Rick Hendrick, owner of NASCARs Hendrick Motorsports, and his wife, Linda, crash landed Monday evening at Key West International Airport.
Both were taken to Lower Keys Medical Center with what appeared to be non life-threatening injuries, according to Peter Horton, director of the airport.
The Gulfstream 150, which was registered to NASCARs five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports, apparently lost its brakes upon landing at the small airport at about 7:45 p.m.
Horton said the pilot and co-pilot radioed to the tower saying they had no brakes. The plane skidded completely off the 4,800-foot runway and came to a stop along a 600-foot unpaved safety area that had just been added at the airport in May .
If this area hadnt been added the outcome would have been different and probably catastrophic, Horton said. Before we had only 100 feet of overrun and then they would have gone into a salt pond and hit an embankment.
The pilot and co-pilot, whose names were not available Monday night, were walking after the accident and did not appear to be injured, Horton said. But both pilots were taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Hendrick and his wife were put on stretchers and taken to the hospital. The extent of their injuries was not available Monday night.
The National Transportation Safety Board was notified and will be investigating the incident.
In 2004, Hendricks team plane crashed en route to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 aboard, including his son, brother and two nieces.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/31/2481573/nascars-rick-hendrick-injured.html#ixzz1cQF5uj8O