Five people, including two from Southern Pines, died in a single-engine airplane crash at Wright Brothers National Memorial’s First Flight Airport in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash of the Cirrus SR-22 airplane.
Wright Brothers National Memorial said the five people on board the airplane when it crashed were Jason Campbell, 43, of Southern Pines; Kate Neely, 39, of Southern Pines; Shashwat Adhikari, 31, of Silver Spring, Maryland; Matthew Fassnacht, 44, of Marietta, Georgia; and a 6-year-old child. There were no survivors. The Army confirmed Campbell was stationed at Fort Liberty.
“National Park Service employees at Wright Brothers National Memorial, Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (Outer Banks Group) extend their deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones affected by this tragedy,” stated David Hallac, superintendent, Outer Banks Group, in a press release.
Eyewitnesses reported that the airplane was attempting to land at the airport. The plane caught on fire after crashing.
“Our Dare County, North Carolina, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk partners provided incredible support to the National Park Service during this tragic event,” stated Hallac. “Their efforts to quickly extinguish the fire associated with the crash prevented further impacts to the surrounding environment and community. In particular, I appreciated the exceptional leadership provided by Kill Devil Hills Fire Chief Troy Tilley, Dare County Fire Marshall Steve Kovacs, North Carolina State Highway Patrol Sergeant D.C. Pridgen, Dare County Emergency Manager Drew Pearson and Dare County EMS Director Jennie Collins.”
Feature photo: Wright Brothers National Monument via Wright Brothers National Memorial Facebook page.
Contributed article.
