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Airstrip's Details Scant: Bauer Still Hospitalized in Good Condition; Foot Surgery is a Couple of Weeks

Posted on: Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 18:00 CDT

By Adam Beam, The State, Columbia, S.C.

May 26--Details about the airstrip where Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's plane crashed are limited because it was not registered with the FAA and is not included in the state's database of airports.

Airstrip owners are not required to register airstrips with the Federal Aviation Administration, but officials like to know about them in case of an emergency, said John Floyd of the S.C. Division of Aeronautics.

The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to release its preliminary report on the crash. The report should provide details about what caused the plane to crash on takeoff Tuesday night.

Floyd said airstrip owners have the option of making the airstrip restricted, which means the state aeronautics division would not conduct a safety inspection because it would be out of their jurisdiction.

"We don't know anything about the airfield. We don't know about the owner other than what was in the paper," Floyd said. "We need to know where these things are in case of emergency landings."

Jim Hamilton, general manager of Owens Field airport in Columbia, said airstrip owners may not publish their airstrips because of liability issues.

"It's a common practice to have a private landing strip that's not on the chart," Hamilton said.

Hamilton said Bauer's plane, a Mooney M20E, requires at least 1,500 feet for takeoff when at 1,000 feet above sea level. The airstrip from which Bauer's plane took off is located in Blacksburg, which is 774 feet above sea level, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The length of that airstrip is unclear. Attempts Thursday to reach the airstrip's owner, Wayne Thomas, were unsuccessful.

Bauer remained at Greenville Memorial Hospital Thursday night in good condition following a "fever spike" Wednesday night, according to a news release from the hospital.

Officials plan to move him out of the intensive care unit and into a "step-down unit," which is a step up from a regular room.

Bauer shattered his left heel in Tuesday's crash and will require surgery. An MRI on Wednesday revealed "soft-tissue injuries and swelling" that will require two weeks to heal before he can have surgery.

Hospital spokeswoman Robyn Zimmerman said doctors are "watching him closely for possible complications" after the fever spike, according to a news release.

One of Bauer's doctors is scheduled to talk with reporters at 7:15 this morning.

Hospital officials released a photo of Bauer in his hospital bed as a nurse took his blood pressure. Doctors have allowed visitors but recommend limited visits so Bauer can rest.

Bauer's co-pilot, John M. Leonhardt Sr., 70, of Columbia, was listed in good condition Thursday at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. Leonhardt suffered minor leg injuries.

Staff writer Christina Knauss contributed to this report. Reach Beam at (803) 771-8405.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The State, Columbia, S.C.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The State (Columbia, S.C.)

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