Electric plane emergency landed with Avinor boss onboard

The electric plane of Avinor had to land at Arendal on Wednesday. The CEO of Avinor, Dag Falk-Petersen, was behind the controls and Secretary of State, Aase Marthe J. Horrigmo, was in the passenger seat.

The police were notified at 2.42 pm that the micro-plane experienced problems. It was later confirmed that the plane had performed an emergency landing.

“The plane lost engine power,” Falk-Petersen tells NTB. Both are reportedly faring well.

“It ended exceptionally well. We are neither bruised or anything.”

Emergency landing on the water

State Secretary in the Ministry for Municipalities and Modernisation, Aase Horrigmo (Conservatives), was passenger onboard the electric plane.

“It was a dramatic experience, but it ended up surprisingly well. It was a fantastic pilot on board. He kept his calm throughout. That made me as confident as you can be in such a situation,” she praises the Avinor boss.

The plane emergency landed on the water and tipped. The two onboard climbed out of the plane via a wing.

The two were picked up by an air ambulance, the general manager at the small plane airport Gullknapp tells Agderposten .

“It’s too bad that we had to be part of this. The plane is damaged, so the question is what will happen to it”, Falk-Petersen ponders.

Not deterred by the accident

The electric plane belongs to Avinor. It was purchased last year. It has been shown during the Arendal Week (Arendalsuka).

Climate and Environment Minister Ola Elvestuen (Liberals) was the passenger on a previous flight on Wednesday, NTB gets confirmed.

The plane participated during Arendalsuka last year as well. The experimental plane is one of a kind in Norway.

“It is registered as an experimental aircraft. That means we do this at our own risk. It has not been through a normal QA process,” Falk-Petersen explains.

The plane is of the type Pipistrel Alpha Electro, built in Slovenia.

He says they do not yet know the reason why the engine stopped producing power.

“It does not in any way reduce our efforts to make electric aircraft,” The Avinor boss concludes.