Sad to report that a local pilot was killed on Tuesday in a nearby town. The pilot was the sole occupant of the plane which seems to have struck a tree or utility line. Its too early for the NTSB preliminary report but the following extract from the local newspaper sadly says it all.
A witness driving a tractor near the scene of the crash, who later found out the man killed was a family friend, provided some insight.
The witness, who asked not to be identified, said sometime after 4 p.m. he saw the small plane flying “out of the southwest†about 100 yards above the ground.
The witness said the plane then “made a shot to the southeast,†adding the pilot didn’t seem to be having problems but was performing maneuvers.
The witness said the plane was flying close to the ground and then seemed to hit something — possibly a utility line or a tree — but he could not tell.
When the collision occurred, “one wing went one way and the plane went down,†the witness said.