Plane severs hand: North Carolina man John Rufty loses hand after a plane crashed into him

  • 10 years ago
Check out our official website: http://us.tomonews.net/
Check out our Android app: http://goo.gl/PtT6VD
Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f

----------------------------------------­----------------------------------------­----------------

John Rufty has been mowing the lawn at North Carolina's Taylorsville Airport for 40 years, but last Saturday, he had his left hand chopped off mid-duty.

Rufty, 74, was mowing the lawn at the airport's single grass landing strip, when 84-year-old Edward Sisson was landing his single engine plane. According to reports, Sisson was operating a 1971 Citabria 7ECA, and was flying from Tennessee to visit family in Taylorsville.

State Highway Patrol Sergeant Brian Owenby told reporters that the private small airport does not have an air traffic controller. As such, "Sisson was unable to see Rufty until just before the impact," and Rufty was not warned about the approaching aircraft.

The plane collided with Rufty's lawn mower, completely cutting Rufty's left hand off with its propeller. Both the aircraft and the lawn mower flipped over, with the lawn mower being crushed under the right wing of the plane. Rufty was airlifted to the nearby Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. His injuries are severe but not life-threatening. Sisson was shaken up, but walked away uninjured.

Owenby told reporters that Sisson seems to be competent, adding that there are no charges made at this time.


----------------------------------------­----------------------------------------­----------------

Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US news, celebrity gossip, salacious scandals, dumb criminals and much more! Subscribe now for daily news animations that will knock your socks off.

Check out our Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nextmedia.gan
Check out our iOS app: https://itunes.apple.com/app/tomonews/id633875353

For news that's fun and never boring, visit our channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUS

Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt-WqkTyKK1_70U4bb4k4lQ?sub_confirmation=1

Stay connected with us here:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS
Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
Google+ http://plus.google.com/+TomoNewsUS/
Instagram @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus