Plane crash at St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport sends one to hospital

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport spokeswoman Michele Routh said Michael Marrin, 59, had just taken off when his single-engine, single-seat biplane "rolled right, came to the ground, inverted and slid off the runway." [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]

The pilot of a small plane was hospitalized this morning when his aircraft crash-landed immediately after taking off from the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, authorities said.

Michael Marrin, 59, had just taken off from Runway 9 at 8:05 a.m. when his Pitts single-engine, single-seat biplane "rolled right, came to the ground, inverted and slid off the runway," said airport spokeswoman Michele Routh.

Marrin was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, where his injuries are considered nonlife-threatening, Routh said.

The crash closed the runway for about 10 minutes and had no effect on airport operations, Routh said.

Casey Cora, Times staff writer