News

‘Its Amazing He’s Still Alive’

By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
The crash took place near the boat landing on Lower Landing Road in Charlestown. A concerned neighbor called 911 dispatch after witnessing the plane flying erratically. After hearing a loud crash, the good samaritan made contact with the Charlestown Police Department at approximately 10:08 AM on Wednesday. Police and other first responders have set up at the nearby boat landing.

State Trooper Brandon Dean, happened to be at the Charlestown Police Department on an unrelated issue. He and another officer left for the crash site immediately. After discovering the plane in the Connecticut River, TFC Dean and a Charlestown Police Sergeant were able to get the pilot to swim away from the downed plane and toward the shore. From there, the officers were able to throw a rope to the pilot and drag him the rest of the way to shore.

According to Dean, the pilot suffered injuries and was immobile. Police said that the pilot had complained of back pain. The Charlestown Fire Department, along with Golden Cross Ambulance, transported the pilot to Springfield Hospital in Springfield, Vermont.

The plane is believed to have suffered a potential engine failure, thus causing it to go lower than intended, which in turn caused the pilot to hit high tension guide wires on nearby telephone poles. From there, the plane crashed into the Connecticut River.

It will be up to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to deem the cause of the crash. The Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention is the principal organization within FAA with respect to aircraft accident investigation and all activities related to the National Transportation Safety Board.

“Plane crashes certainly happen in this area, but it isn’t very common,” Brandon told the Eagle Times.

Removing the plane from the river will also be an issue for first responders. Cloudy weather and murky water have made it difficult to locate the tail of the plane. It will most likely require a boat with a crane or a lift to ultimately remove the aircraft from the water. Police have said that they believe the plane to be a single-engine PA-18. That particular aircraft has a steel frame and is covered in fabric.

“It’s amazing he’s still alive, with that kind of plane hitting wires at that speed,” Andrew Madison, an on scene investigator with the Department of Environmental Services, said at the site of the crash.

Last year a plane crashed down in Charlestown after also flying low and hitting power lines. The plane struck the ground at Morningside Flight Park, killing one and injuring another. The plane was said to suffer from power failure.

Anyone who witnessed Wednesday’s crash is asked to contact the FAA and Charlestown Police Department.

Dylan Marsh can be reached at [email protected]

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