Parts Of Aircraft That Crashed In Londonderry Found In A Yard In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NH — Wiggins Flight 1046 left the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport on Friday and headed to Presque Isle, Maine, when it started experiencing issues around Lake Massabesic.

Several witnesses in Manchester said the plane was “low, loud, and appeared out of control.” FlightAware shows an erratic flight pattern while attempting to return to the airport.

Airport Manager Ted Kitchen said airport communications advised of a “pending aircraft emergency” at 7:25 a.m., which activated rescue personnel to position themselves on the runway. At 7:28 a.m., the tower advised the plane had crashed in Londonderry, and crews were dispatched.

At the scene of the crash, the aircraft was significantly damaged, and crews worked to extricate the pilot who was trapped. The pilot, who officials have not identified, was seriously injured and transported to the Elliot Hospital and then transferred to a Boston hospital with unspecified injuries.

Patch.com verified Manchester police were notified at about 8:30 a.m. that a resident on the east side of Manchester located what was believed to be parts of the plane in the yard of the residence.

Police responded and then notified Londonderry police, Manchester Airport, and NTSB investigators, who responded to the scene in Manchester and took control of the investigation.

The NTSB verified, “The left door/hatch was found in a yard about 6 miles North of the crash site.” Photographs were taken at the scene, and the items were removed from the property, located off Bridge Street, one of the areas where the aircraft was flying erratically.

Photo - NTSB

Photo NTSB

“The wreckage was recovered yesterday to a secure facility in Westfield, Massachusetts. The investigator-in-charge will be at the facility today and tomorrow to examine the wreckage.”

When the aircraft took off, it was heavy rain and near-freezing temperatures. It is unknown if the weather was a factor in causing the failure leading to the crash. Workers performing tree work near the power lines off Wiley Hill Road witnessed the plane crash near the area of the power lines and called 911. The pilot of the plane was conscious and also called 911.

Radio transmissions indicated the plane was smoking, a large amount of fuel had spilled, and the pilot was entrapped. The power lines in the area were verified to be unenergized, allowing firefighters to work to extricate the man.

Londonderry Fire said the aircraft's fuselage was heavily damaged and broken apart. Firefighters used battery-operated extrication tools to free the pilot, who they removed through the front window of the plane. “Crews don’t have a lot of experience with this type of incident, but it is what they have trained for and why the operation was done quickly and no personnel were injured.”

Crews worked throughout the weekend to mitigate hazards and investigate the crash site behind a residence on Colonial Road.

No information on the pilot's condition has been provided; Patch will provide updates as they become available.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news