AUBURN – A woman flying a single-engine plane from Naples on Thursday was forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Farmer Whiting’s on Summer Street.

Investigators said 59-year-old Mary Build radioed that she was having engine trouble about 3:45 p.m. and needed to set the Piper down.

Build and another woman riding in the two-seat plane landed unharmed about 4 p.m. in a large field occasionally used as a landing strip for small aircraft.

Build landed the plane after 15 minutes of sometimes tense radio traffic that sent police, fire and rescue crews to the scene off outer Summer Street.

Investigators said a wire had come loose from the airplane magneto, a component that provides energy to the engine. When Build realized she had lost that power, she radioed for help. She also radioed a pair of men flying nearby in a second Piper, police said.

The second airplane was occupied by Build’s husband, Jim, and another man, police said. Those men stayed in contact with emergency dispatchers while the planes were still in the sky.

Several firetrucks were sent to the area behind the former Dingley House, a short distance from Farmer Whiting’s, as Build prepared to land. Police said Build originally planned to land on Taylor Pond but was directed toward the field off Summer Street.

As emergency crews rushed to the area, Build banked the 30-year-old Piper to the left as she flew over Farmer Whiting’s, then eased the plane onto the ground behind the Dingley House.

When police arrived in the long field, Build and her passenger were out of the plane. They were uninjured and the plane did not appear damaged, police said. Jim Build landed his Piper nearby and began making preparations to have his wife’s plane repaired.

At the scene, Mary Build and her passenger were calm and composed as they spoke with police Officer Bud Caouette and firefighters. However, she declined to describe the ordeal to members of the media.

During the summer, Build was the host of the Seaplane Safety Expo at Brandy Pond in Naples. Her company, Naples Flying Service, was one of the sponsors of the event.

Around the same time, Jim Build was awarded the Orville Wright Master Pilot award, presented by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Police said the Builds and their friends were flying from Naples to Greenville when Mary Build was forced to land. It was believed they continued their trip after the plane was repaired.