A pilot has died after a small aircraft crashed into Curlew Pond in Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on the morning of Thursday, July 16.
Massachusetts State Police said they were notified at approximately 7:40 a.m. of a crash involving a small fixed-wing aircraft. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and found the aircraft overturned in the water with the pilot trapped inside.
With assistance from the Plymouth Dive Team, rescuers recovered the pilot from the submerged aircraft and transported them to a nearby hospital. The Plymouth District Attorney’s Office later confirmed the pilot had died from the injuries sustained in the crash.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft was a two-seat Piper PA-18, and the pilot was the only person on board.
Aerial images from the scene showed the aircraft upside down in Curlew Pond while dive boats and emergency crews worked around the wreckage. The Kingston Fire Department also activated its dive team to assist in the response.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. Authorities have launched an active investigation, with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) responding to the scene. The NTSB will lead the investigation to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
Massachusetts State Police are expected to remain at the scene for an extended period as investigators document evidence and secure the crash site.
