Gov. Martinez involved in hard landing

KRQE TV

Updated: May 24, 2012 8:34 AM

SANTA FE (KRQE) — Governor Susana Martinez and First Gentleman Chuck Franco are okay after a private plane they were flying on had a hard landing at the Santa Fe airport Wednesday night.

A spokesman for the Governor said she and all passengers, including Ninth Judicial District Attorney Matt Chandler and pilot, Sid Strebeck, a Clovis businessman, are fine after the event.

In an email, Scott Darnell, the governor's spokesman, explained the governor was returning from a meet-and-greet campaign for State Senate candidate Angie Spears in Tucumcari when the incident happened.

While entering the airport, high crosswinds forced the pilot to lift the landing gear and circle the airport.

During the final landing, the pilot failed to re-deploy the landing gear of the single engine Malibu propeller plane and the plane was damaged.

Authorities were notified, reports were taken and the Governor and First Gentleman returned home at 11:30 p.m.

The Governor plans to continue her schedule Thursday, with an event at the Espanola Public Library.

The Spears campaign paid for the flight.

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