A plane crash Thursday near Harrison Bay startled nearby residents, but it caused little damage to life, limb or the plane itself.
Law enforcement officials said the single-engine, multipassenger craft simply overshot the runway, plowed over a fence and came to rest with the nose inches away from East Crabtree Road.
The lone occupant, pilot Robin Russell, was not injured and drove himself from the scene after the crash.
"It could have been a lot worse if there were injuries to the pilot or injuries to the public," said Hamilton County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Janice Atkinson. "This would be considered minor, since there was only damage to the plane."
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the wreck, she said.
Mark Winton, who operates the Dallas Bay Skypark, said the plane was under contract to be sold, but he declined to say more.
"The bottom line is that he landed long and went into the ditch," he said.
A neighbor said the 3,000-foot landing strip is bustling and, though the planes are nice to watch, there's always an element of fear.
"I was just laying in bed, watching TV when I just heard a loud racket" on Thursday, said Michelle Cavitt, who lives next door to the airstrip. "I just sat there for a minute before I moved, because I was a little nervous."
Cavitt said she has seen at least three minor crashes at the airport in the last few months. FAA records show none.
The Skypark opened originally as the Optimist Club dragstrip. It operated as a vehicle-racing facility for 20 years or so, then was converted into an airstrip, according to newspaper archives.