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Pilot, Wife Use IPad To Crash Land Plane At Regional Airport

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A pilot and his wife used iPads to fly about 80 miles in the dark and land safely at the Rapid City Regional Airport after an electrical malfunction compromised their single-engine plane Friday night.

The Rapid City Fire Department says the couple was flying to Wisconsin from Wyoming when their single-engine propeller plane had a full electrical-system failure. The only instruments still working were the airspeed and altitude indicators.

The couple was not able to alert traffic controllers that they were entering Rapid City airspace and the pilot landed the plane on its belly on the airport runway. The plane skidded to a stop and officials say sparks were shooting from the bottom of the fuselage.

Department spokeswoman Oliver White says the plane will be grounded while officials investigate.