TAMPA (FOX 13) -
Residents of Davis Islands got an unusual sight this afternoon: A large military cargo plane landed at Peter O. Knight Airport.
The C-17 Globemaster is still sitting on the airport runway. It's not clear why the plane landed there.
The small waterfront airport usually handles commuter planes and other general aviation aircraft. Its longest runway is 3,400 feet; Boeing, the plane's manufacturer, says the 164-foot plane can land in as little as 3,000 feet.
A Boeing spokesperson told FOX 13 the plane should be able to take off from the short runway, but deferred further comment to the Air Force.
The giant plane needs almost 8,000 feet of runway when it's fully loaded, but a lot less when it's empty. Worst-case, the plane might have to be unloaded before it takes off, depending on what's on board.
For comparison, the main runway at nearby MacDill Air Force Base -- which is oriented the same direction as the long runway at Peter O. Knight -- is 14,000 feet long.
