Plane suffers “hard landing” during event at Skydive Perris

A Vintage WWII warplane ended up nose down in the dirt after suffering a hard landing during Skydive Perris’ 40th Anniversary event. Pete Torres photo

PERRIS – A plane made what accident investigators called a hard landing during the 40th anniversary celebration of Skydive Perris Saturday Sept. 3. The airfield where the accident happened is near Goetz Road and Mountain Avenue in Perris.

Two people who were on board the plane at the time of the accident reportedly walked away from the incident unharmed. The plane, a North American T-6 Texan was known as “the pilot maker” because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat.

The plane was part of the 40th anniversary event, where several vintage planes were being showcased. Flights and jumps from the various planes were being offered to skydivers and enthusiasts during the event. The pilot of the plane that ended up nose down in the dirt was offering flights in the plane for $99.

Several people reported seeing the vintage warplane coming in for a landing when a large dust devil obscured it’s path. The pilot reportedly made several evasive maneuvers before his plane ended up just off the runway in the dirt. The plane reportedly sustained minor damage in the incident.

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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.