ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska State Troopers say a pilot is fine after strong winds pushed his small plane off course, and it ended up stuck in some trees about 50 feet off the ground.
Troopers say 58-year-old Edward Merren of Wasilla had just taken off in a Taylorcraft airplane Sunday afternoon on a grass airstrip in the Wasilla area. A sudden gust of crosswind then caused the plane to strike trees on the side of the airstrip.
The aircraft became wedged in the trees about 50 feet above the ground.
Responders used a boom truck to rescue Merren, who was not injured.
Troopers say the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified to investigate.