City Administrator’s plane crashes near airport

An airplane piloted by Clarendon City Administrator Lambert Little crash landed about one mile east of the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport Sunday night, January 16.

Little, age 54, survived the crash and was extricated from his 1959 Cessna fixed wing single engine plane by the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department. He was transported by Associated Ambulance Authority to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo where he was in stable condition. The Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol reported that Little was being treated for an apparent broken leg.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said his office was contacted at 10:10 p.m. by the Lockhead-Martin Flight Center and asked to check the airport for Little’s overdue plane. The area was experiencing dense fog at the time, and visibility was down to about 50 yards, the sheriff said.

Deputies found no plane at the airport, and Little’s personal vehicle was still in his hanger. The Federal Aviation Administration was contacted along with cell phone companies, and it was discovered that Little’s cell phone was pinging off a tower northeast of Clarendon near FM 1260.
The sheriff’s office had neighboring counties check their airports and requested the Department of Public Safety in Amarillo and Donley County Commissioner Andy Wheatly bring their helicopters to assist with a search as soon as the fog lifted.

The Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was notified of the overdue aircraft by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at approximately 12:30 a.m.  Incident Commander, LtCol Rick Woolfolk said a ground team from Amarillo led by Major James Dabney, arrived in the area of the Smiley Johnson Airport at about 5:30 a.m. 

At about 7:57 Monday morning, Donley County resident Daniel Ford discovered the wreckage of Little’s plane about 30 yards off County Road T and notified authorities.

Emergency personnel found the plane had flipped on its top, but Little was conscious and alert and in good spirits.

Rescuers also were able to find the small blind dog that had accompanied the pilot on the flight and took him to a shelter until a caretaker could arrive.