A teen from rural Neosho Falls was recognized by the Kansas Highway Patrol for his quick thinking and heroism.
According to the agency, 18-year-old Hatten Gleue was presented the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Honorary Trooper Award for his selfless actions on April 23rd.
A 2020 Cirrus SR22 aircraft lost engine function southwest of Chanute and attempted to land at Chanute airport. Due to cloud cover, the aircraft missed the approach and diverted to land in a field. The aircraft went into a nosedive east of US169 Highway, deployed a parachute, landed in its top and started to slide north from the wind causing the parachute to become a sail. The aircraft flipped back upright while sliding across a field.
Gleue drove off the highway, through a fence, across the field, and stopped the aircraft with his pickup. The passenger of the aircraft was able to get off the aircraft while it was stopped.
Moments later a gust of wind caught the parachute and flipped the aircraft over Gleue’s pickup. The aircraft was dragged westbound across US169 Highway and eventually came to rest in a tree row.
Gleue’s quick actions and selflessness allowed the passenger to escape the crash with minor injuries.
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