Plane carrying Texas lawmaker skids off runway; no one hurt

BURKE, Texas (AP) — A private plane carrying the presumptive incoming Texas House speaker skidded off a runway while trying to land during a rainstorm, but no one was seriously hurt, officials said.

The plane was landing Wednesday at Angelina County Airport, about 110 miles (175 kilometers) northeast of Houston. State Rep. Dade Phelan told Beaumont TV station KFDM that it was raining and “conditions were difficult” at the time.

“We went through the end of the runway, across a street, and stopped in a pasture,” he said. "We all walked away. It was an unfortunate accident. The plane was in bad shape.”

Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, has said he has the votes to be Texas’ next House speaker and he has drawn the support of GOP Gov. Greg Abbott.

Airport manager Gary Letney told Lufkin TV station KTRE that the pilot suffered minor injuries but was able to walk around afterward.

“In talking to the pilot, he said that when he landed the anti-lock brakes failed on the jet and so he cut them off and cut them back on, and when he did he had no brakes at all,” Letney said.