Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Wawa

A small plane landed in the parking lot of a Wawa store in Fredericksburg Monday morning.

The 1968 single-engine Piper landed on a grassy area near the entrance of the gas station on Shannon Park Drive around 5:50 a.m.

The pilot, Jerome M. Orlando, 33, reportedly told employees at the store he forgot to fuel the plane before taking off from Tampa, Fla. Running short on fuel, Orlando was diverted from his destination in Charlottesville to Stafford Regional Airport and later to Shannon Airport.

Shannon Airport manager Robert Stanley says the pilot had tried to land at the two airports, but fog prevented him. The plane then ran out of fuel, forcing Orlando to land in the field. The gas station is located about a quarter mile away from Shannon Airport.

No injuries were reported. Only a mailbox and parking sign were damaged by the crash.

Virginia State Police say the plane suffered minor damage, and the FAA and NTSB has been notified.

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