Community Corner

Cause of Sunday's N.C. Plane Remains Under Investigation

A preliminary report could come out within two weeks on the cause of the crash that killed retired Col. Virgil Thomas Deal Jr. after he took off from Summerville airport.

The cause of the crash of a Summerville-to-Fayetteville private plane remains under investigation, but a preliminary report could be out within two weeks, according to the Fayetteville Observer.

The full investigation may take as long as 18 months. 

Retired Col. Virgil Thomas "Tom" Deal Jr., acting chief of surgery at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center, died Sunday when his Piper PA-28 Cherokee near Parkton, N.C. He had taken off from Summerville Airport and as on his final approach to Fayetteville Regional Airport when the crash occurred. 

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