The pilot of a plane that crashed Friday morning in Londonderry was able to call 911 after the crash, officials said.The twin-engine Beechcraft 99 crashed just before 7:30 a.m. off Colonial Drive. Officials said the plane, operated by Wiggins Airways, a private package delivery service, was on its way to Presque Isle, Maine.The pilot was the only person on board and was extracted from the wrecked plane by first responders. Rescuers said he was alert at the time and taken to a nearby hospital and then transferred to a hospital in Massachusetts.The plane crashed about 100 feet from a single-family home, and Londonderry Fire Chief Bo Butler said it was very nearly a tragedy.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<“He ought to play the lottery, for sure,” Butler said. “This was a very significant emergency response that we responded to, and a lot of things could have gone wrong further than the aircraft crashing itself, so the mitigation efforts were very, very impactful and successful.”Officials said the pilot was in critical condition. A Wiggins flight crashed last year in Maine, killing two people on board.First responders said the plane crash was an unusual event, but it’s something they train for. >> Full video: Officials give update on plane crashNo homes were damaged in the crash, but Butler said some power lines were clipped as the plane went down.The plane had just taken off from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and had a full load of fuel. The smell of gas permeated the neighborhood after the crash, and Butler said crews were working to minimize any pollution.”We have been actively booming the area for hazardous relief mitigation,” Butler said. “We do have some wetlands behind the residences where the plane went down that we’re taking into consideration with our booming measures going on.”Neighbors said that at first, they weren’t sure what had happened. One said she thought it was thunder, and another man said he also thought it was a storm until he learned that it was a plane crashing behind his house.”We just heard a loud thump behind the house, you know, like a lightning sound,” resident Eddie Saktanaset said. “A lot of trees were coming down.”Saktanaset said he has a young son and is concerned about the possible environmental impact because he has well water. He said the smell of gas was so strong that he might not be able to sleep at home.The plane crash shut down Colonial Drive, and school buses had to find another way around.Wiggins Airways transports packages and things like fuel and flies in and out of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport every day.Tom Kinton, former director of aviation at Massport, said such crashes are rare, and flying is still one of the safest ways to travel. He said the FAA and NTSB will conduct investigations to make sure there aren’t any concerning patterns.He commended the pilot for having the wherewithal to avoid hitting a house.”I would say good job for the pilot controlling that airplane, because he was obviously struggling with something where he couldn’t communicate for a while,” Kinton said. “So again, I’m speculating that he had an issue, obviously an in-flight emergency where he was trying to get control of the aircraft.”Kinton said he’s hopeful the pilot will recover and be able to help with the investigation.
The pilot of a plane that crashed Friday morning in Londonderry was able to call 911 after the crash, officials said.
The twin-engine Beechcraft 99 crashed just before 7:30 a.m. off Colonial Drive. Officials said the plane, operated by Wiggins Airways, a private package delivery service, was on its way to Presque Isle, Maine.
The pilot was the only person on board and was extracted from the wrecked plane by first responders. Rescuers said he was alert at the time and taken to a nearby hospital and then transferred to a hospital in Massachusetts.
The plane crashed about 100 feet from a single-family home, and Londonderry Fire Chief Bo Butler said it was very nearly a tragedy.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<
“He ought to play the lottery, for sure,” Butler said. “This was a very significant emergency response that we responded to, and a lot of things could have gone wrong further than the aircraft crashing itself, so the mitigation efforts were very, very impactful and successful.”
Officials said the pilot was in critical condition. A Wiggins flight crashed last year in Maine, killing two people on board.
First responders said the plane crash was an unusual event, but it’s something they train for.
>> Full video: Officials give update on plane crash
No homes were damaged in the crash, but Butler said some power lines were clipped as the plane went down.
The plane had just taken off from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and had a full load of fuel. The smell of gas permeated the neighborhood after the crash, and Butler said crews were working to minimize any pollution.
“We have been actively booming the area for hazardous relief mitigation,” Butler said. “We do have some wetlands behind the residences where the plane went down that we’re taking into consideration with our booming measures going on.”
Neighbors said that at first, they weren’t sure what had happened. One said she thought it was thunder, and another man said he also thought it was a storm until he learned that it was a plane crashing behind his house.
“We just heard a loud thump behind the house, you know, like a lightning sound,” resident Eddie Saktanaset said. “A lot of trees were coming down.”
Saktanaset said he has a young son and is concerned about the possible environmental impact because he has well water. He said the smell of gas was so strong that he might not be able to sleep at home.
The plane crash shut down Colonial Drive, and school buses had to find another way around.
Wiggins Airways transports packages and things like fuel and flies in and out of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport every day.
Tom Kinton, former director of aviation at Massport, said such crashes are rare, and flying is still one of the safest ways to travel. He said the FAA and NTSB will conduct investigations to make sure there aren’t any concerning patterns.
He commended the pilot for having the wherewithal to avoid hitting a house.
“I would say good job for the pilot controlling that airplane, because he was obviously struggling with something where he couldn’t communicate for a while,” Kinton said. “So again, I’m speculating that he had an issue, obviously an in-flight emergency where he was trying to get control of the aircraft.”
Kinton said he’s hopeful the pilot will recover and be able to help with the investigation.