Gov. Susana Martinez
The governor, first gentleman and a district attorney were unhurt during a hard landing at the Santa Fe Airport late Wednesday.
The single-engine Malibu propeller plane carrying Gov. Susana Martinez, First Gentleman Chuck Franco and Ninth Judicial District Attorney Matt Chandler was on return from Tucumcari, where the three attended a campaign event for state Senate candidate Angie Spears, according to Martinez spokesman Scott Darnell.
High crosswinds forced the pilot, Sid Strebeck of Clovis, to lift the landing gear and circle the airport, Darnell said, adding that, upon landing around 10 p.m., Strebeck “failed to re-deploy” the landing gear.
“The plane received some damage, but no one aboard was injured,” Darnell said.
He said the Spears campaign paid for the private flight.
Upon landing, Strebeck, who has about 3,000 flight hours, immediately notified authorities, and Darnell said incident reports were being filed. Martinez and Franco left the airport at about 11:30 p.m. No other information was immediately available.
Darnell said the governor will continue with planned activities today, starting with an event at the Española Public Library at 9:30 a.m.