https://www.jordanmiller.news/2025/07/18/photos-pilots-shoelace-blamed-after-plane-runs-off-runway-at-carroll-county-airport/(I've heard of a shoe string catch, but this is a bit different. )
A small aircraft ran off the runway at the Carroll County-Tolson Airport Friday morning after the pilot’s shoelaces became tangled in the flight pedals, according to Carrollton Fire Chief Shane Thomas. No injuries were reported.
The Carrollton Fire Department was dispatched to the airport just before 9:30 a.m. on a report of a plane that had veered off the runway and into a grassy area. When crews arrived, they found the plane leaking a small amount of fuel but confirmed the pilot was unharmed. The pilot told first responders that he had landed the aircraft successfully, but while taxiing, his shoelaces became caught in the rudder pedals, causing him to lose control and exit the runway.
The plane had departed from Maryland and stopped in Carrollton to refuel, officials said. The aircraft, described as brand new, was reportedly en route to the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow in Wisconsin, where it was scheduled to be given away as part of a sweepstakes promotion.
Local authorities secured the scene, and fire crews mitigated the fuel leak. No other aircraft or airport operations were affected.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the incident.
