BURNSIDE Two men survived an emergency landing Thursday morning in southern Ascension Parish after their single-engine plane lost power shortly after takeoff, sheriff's deputies said.

Pilot Brad Arton,of Prairieville,was able to fly the Beechcraft Bonanza into a hay field north of La. 22 about 9:40 a.m. after lifting off from nearby Louisiana Regional Airport. The general aviation airport is in Ascension Parish off Loosemore Road northwest of La. 22.

Ascension Parish Sheriff's Chief Deputy Bobby Webre said the landing was a good one, if not for a ditch in the field that caused the plane to nose forward after touching down.

Deputies said the landing left 314 feet of tire marks across the field, which is between the Pelican Point subdivision to the north, the Ascension Trace subdivision to the south and between the La. 22/La. 44 intersection and the Word of Life Church.

The crash site also happened to be just down the road from the Fifth Ward fire station. Deputies and firefighters responded to the crash, Webre said.

Webre said the pilot, later identified as Arton, who turns 43 Friday, and co-pilot Michael Graham, 58, of Baton Rouge, suffered no injuries. The crash also sparked no fires nor leaks of fuel or other hazardous materials, Webre said.

The National Transportation Safety Board was waiting Thursday afternoon for an aircraft damage assessment to determine what role to take, said Keith Holloway, agency spokesman.

What caused the plane to lose power was not known Thursday.

Webre said the plane had damage to its propeller and engine cowling.

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Small plane crashes in Ascension Parish field; Baton Rouge, Prairieville pilots uninjured - The Advocate