Plane Clipped Powerlines On Takeoff

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 05.24.06 1730EDT: ANN has received more information regarding the Tuesday night plane crash that injured South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer and his passenger, John M. Leohardt. The Mooney M20E Bauer was piloting clipped trees following takeoff from a small private airstrip in Blackburg, SC.

WIS-TV 10 in Columbia, SC reports Bauer, 37, was to undergo an MRI Wednesday, in anticipation of surgery to repair his shattered left heel. He is otherwise listed in good condition. 

Leohardt, however, is listed in serious condition, and the extent of his injuries have not been reported.

WIS reports that Bauer bought the Mooney from Leonhardt three years ago. The plane recently had a new engine installed.

ORIGINAL REPORT

The lieutenant governor of South Carolina, Andre Bauer, and a passenger escaped serious injury Tuesday when their Mooney M20E (file photo of type, center) went down shortly after takeoff, and caught fire.

The accident happened Tuesday evening, just after the plane took off from a private dirt airstrip near Blackburg, SC and apparently clipped powerlines. A nearby resident saw the accident, and found Bauer, 37, crawling away from the airplane.

Jeremy Elliot then helped pull John M. Leohardt, 70, away from the wreckage -- and not a moment too soon, from the sound of it.

"As soon as we got him out of the plane, about a minute later, it just exploded," Elliot told reporters.

The Associated Press reports Bauer suffered injuries to his arm and leg. Leohardt's wife, Azalia, said her husband was also slightly injured in the accident.

"The plane had problems taking off," she said, adding her husband often flew with Bauer, who was the pilot.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the accident.

**   Report created 5/24/2006   Record 5
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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 3217F        Make/Model: MO20      Description: M20, M20A/B/C/D/E/F/G/J/L/R/S, M20K/M (T
  Date: 05/23/2006     Time: 2226

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: BLACKSBURG   State: SC   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT ON TAKEOFF STRUCK POWERLINES, INTO A RAVINE AND CAUGHT FIRE, FROM A
  PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR BLACKSBURG, VA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA

  Departed: BLACKSBURG, SC              Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: COLUMBIA, SC  (SO13)                  Entry date: 05/24/2006

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov