A tragic plane crash near the Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina claimed the lives of a child and four adults.
On Saturday, September 28, the National Park Service (NPS) reported that a single-engine airplane crashed into a wooded area near the Wright Brothers National Memorial First Flight Airport in Kill Devil Hills around 5 p.m. local time.
The plane crashed with five passengers on board, including one minor. “There were no survivors,” an NPS spokesperson told People. The agency announced that it intends to release names in the “coming days.”
A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the incident, confirmed to the outlet that the aircraft involved was a Cirrus SR22 that attempted to land on runway 21 of the airport.
“It was a multi-leg flight, with the last departure from Dare County Regional Airport,” the NTSB explained. They also observed that the plane failed to land on its initial approach to the runway.
“The crash occurred during the second approach. There was a post-crash fire,” they continued.
“Two NTSB investigators arrived at the accident site Sunday to document the airplane wreckage, which will then be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the NTSB added.
An NTSB Investigator Gives Details of the Plane Crash Near Wright Brothers Memorial
NTSB Aviation Accident Investigator Ryan Enders stated, as reported by NBC affiliate WAVY-TV, that during its second attempt, the airplane veered left and struck trees next to the runway’s left side.
“We’re going to be here for the next several days collecting any perishable evidence, such as photographs, video evidence and any data from the airplane that we can extract and send back to Washington, DC for analysis,” Enders explained.
Superintendent of National Parks of Eastern North Carolina David Hallac weighed in on the crash. “It’s a real tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those who perished in the crash,” Hallac told WAVY-TV.
Meanwhile, Enders supported closing the park as authorities conducted their investigation.
“We plan to reopen on Tuesday morning. We want to give the investigators time to do their job safely,” Hallac explained.
The NTSB is urging witnesses to reach out with any surveillance footage or relevant information regarding the crash. Additionally, the federal agency has indicated that a preliminary report will be available within 30 days following the incident.