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EF2 tornado hits David J. Perry Airport

Hangars damaged or destroyed with 15 planes damaged

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The National Weather Service confirmed to The Purcell Register it was an EF2 tornado that damaged the David J. Perry Airport at Goldsby Sunday night and then moved into the eastern sides of Norman doing extensive damage.

The NWS spokesman said the tornado passed right by their building after it formed just southwest of the Goldsby Airport about 9:15 p.m.

Goldsby Mayor Glenn Berglan reported the twister knocked over two 18-wheel trucks and overturned a couple of recreational vehicles at Floyd’s RV, 912 N. Adkins Hill Road.

The NWS also said one power line in Goldsby was taken out by the storm.

Several road signs near the airport were also damaged or destroyed. There were no reports of injuries.

Berglan reported to the newspaper an insurance adjuster had already toured the damaged hangars Monday afternoon and would soon have a damage estimate.

“All of the hangars that were damaged or totally destroyed were old T-type hangars,” Berglan said. “We will have a wrecking crew come to haul off everything. Monday we were using our own equipment trying to get some of the planes out,” Berglan continued.

“We have been planning on building some new hangars. This just moves up the process a little.”

The mayor said it would be a long term project depending on if they go through the Oklahoma Aeronautical Commission or however they go.

“It’s going to be a long process but in the meantime we have tie-downs. Or people can go find another place if they can find another place. Right now we have 70 people on a waiting list for hangar space,” Berglan confirmed.

There are currently 64 aircraft based at David J. Perry. A total of 15 planes were damaged by the tornado.

The Goldsby Airport has not one but two flight schools.

“We have a really nice terminal building where they can to classroom work in addition to the flying,” Berglan said.

“One of the schools has five planes and the other one has four. They hire OU students who are already licensed to be the flight instructors,” the mayor continued.

“There is such a demand for airline pilots it’s getting to be a huge deal. OU is going to spend $30 million on their aircraft school. It’s all going pretty big time,” Berglan confirmed.

In Purcell and Lexington the storm came through with high winds and dumped up to .5” on the Heart of Oklahoma.

That brings the year-to-date total to 4.15” here.

Oklahoma City has recorded 2.38” of rain this year.

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