The National Transportation Safety Board was notified after an aircraft incident that took place near Meadow Lakes Drive on Sunday afternoon.

It was on Sunday afternoon than 58-year-old Edward T. Merren took off from the grassy airstrip. After takeoff, and as he was beginning to gain altitude a strong cross wind hit the areaand pushed the Taylorcraft airplane that Merren was piloting into the trees near the strip.

The sudden gust of wind launched the smaller craft into a stand of Birch about 50 feet off the ground. Merren was unable to escape the plane.

Alaska State troopers and EMS responded to the scene at approximately 3 pm. Troopers sought to utilizing the equipment in the area, but the soft soggy ground around the stand of trees would not support the equipment.

The Matanuska electric Association was called, and one of MEA’s boom trucks was brought to the scene, and was able to harness Merren, get him into the truck’s basket and safely lower Merren to the ground.

Merren was not injured in the incident.

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