NJ Wildfire Smoke Led To Plane Crash Discovery, Authorities Say

LACEY, NJ — Smoke from a wildfire in the Pine Barrens led to the discovery of the crash of a small plane on Saturday evening, police said Monday.

Lacey Township police were notified about smoke off Dover Road and West Lacey Road shortly before midnight on Saturday, police said in a statement released Monday afternoon.

"As the investigation continued into the smoke condition, a small airplane crash was located in the area of the fire," Lacey Capt. Paul Sullivan Jr. said. "Due to smoke and fire in the area, as well as the difficult terrain, authorities could not immediately access the scene of the airplane crash."

The wildfire has consumed 831 acres and was 90 percent contained as of Monday evening, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.

Authorities were able to reach the crash site, just east of Robert J. Miller Airpark, on Sunday afternoon and confirmed that the pilot was deceased, Sullivan said.

The pilot's identity has not been released.

The single-engine Cirrus SR20, which left Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall, crashed at 10:18 p.m., a spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board told Patch.

Only the pilot was on board, officials said. An NTSB investigator arrived at the accident site Sunday to begin the on-scene phase of the investigation.

Robert J. Miller Airpark, which is owned by Ocean County and is located in Berkeley Township, remains closed because of the fire and crash investigation, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

With the fire 90 percent contained, state forest fire service officials said there no longer was a threat to structures. In addition, local traffic is being permitted on Dover Road and Mule Road between Lacey Road and Pinewald Keswick Road. The roads remain closed to other traffic.

There were no evacuations.

Sullivan said residents should expect to smell smoke from the fire for the next several days, but said the forest fire service does not expect it to grow any further in size and containment will continue to increase throughout the day.

"The Lacey Township Police Department would like to thank all of the agencies, local fire departments, and first aid squads that responded to assist in investigating and managing this incident," Sullivan said.

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office warned locals to expect a “strong smell of smoke” east of the Garden State Parkway from Stafford to Lakewood as a result of the fire. Fire department activity has been reported as far north as Lakehurst, where fire crews were reportedly battling the blaze on Route 37 east of NJ 70, according to 511NJ.org.

The Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB are investigating the crash. Structure protection is being provided by local volunteer fire companies.

Due to the fire, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge was closed Sunday but reopened on Monday.

"All of the animals at the park are safe and doing well," Popcorn Park officials wrote in a Facebook update Sunday afternoon. "The winds continue to blow the fire away from us."

" Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the pilot who lost his life in the crash," Popcorn Park officials said.