Houston Nutt Involved but Not Injured in Private Aircraft Accident on Sunday Afternoon

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas head football coach Houston Nutt was one of three individuals involved in a private aircraft accident at Drake Field on Sunday afternoon. Nutt, his mother Emogene Nutt and the pilot Mark Myers suffered no injuries in the accident that occurred when the landing gear of a King Air 200 twin-engine prop airplane didn’t lock properly for landing.

The airplane, owned by Executive Aviation of Fayetteville, Ark., left Drake Field with Coach Nutt at approximately 1 p.m. and flew to Little Rock to pick up Coach Nutt’s mother. The flight plan then included a trip to Lafayette, La., for Sunday night’s Sun Belt Tournament basketball game between Arkansas State and New Orleans. Arkansas State is coached by Houston Nutt’s brother Dickey Nutt.

Upon takeoff, Myers noticed that a gear motor in the landing gear didn’t appear to operate properly. Myers decided to return the plane to Fayetteville for maintenance. All instruments on the plane indicated the landing gear was deployed properly. Myers requested a visual confirmation from the Drake Field tower as a precaution as well. With the visual confirmation concluding the landing gear was in place, the plane attempted to land.

Upon landing on the runway, two of the landing gears didn’t maintain a locked position and collapsed. Myers guided the plane onto the adjacent grass where the plane came to a stop. The Fayetteville Fire Department was contacted at 3:13 p.m. to respond to the accident.

The pilot and two passengers disembarked the plane without injury. Later Sunday afternoon, Houston Nutt and Emogene Nutt boarded a private jet, also owned by Executive Aviation, and traveled to their original destination, Lafayette, La.