AN SMA PLT HIT A STOPLIGHT SUPPORT WIRE ON LNDG.
Synopsis
AN SMA PLT HIT A STOPLIGHT SUPPORT WIRE ON LNDG.
Narrative
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
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.