Jun 21, 2025 01:25 PM IST
Two people died and one was injured in a plane crash in Mocksville, North Carolina, while trying to avoid a turtle on the runway.
A small plane crash in Mocksville, North Carolina, has left two people dead and one seriously injured, after a small private aircraft crashed while trying to avoid a turtle on the runway.
The incident occurred on 3 June at Sugar Valley Airport, about 60 miles northeast of Charlotte.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in its preliminary report that the pilot attempted to manoeuvre around the reptile just before takeoff, a split-second swerve that proved fatal.
ALSO READ| Air India CEO reacts to online backlash over ‘lack of visibility’ at crew’s funerals after Ahmedabad plane crash
What actually happened at Sugar Valley Airport?
A UNICOM operator at the airport had initially spotted the turtle on the runway and radioed a warning to the pilot, who had just landed and was preparing for another takeoff. “The UNICOM operator stated that she heard the pilot advance the throttle after he raised the right wheel,” the NTSB report noted.
“The airplane left her point of view, and she was unable to see the airplane after that.”
A witness nearby observed the plane’s wings rocking back and forth as it tried to climb back into the air. Then the aircraft disappeared behind a hangar and into the trees lining the airport.
“[The witness] heard a loud crash and saw smoke,” the NTSB report said.
Search crews found the wreckage more than 250 feet past the end of the runway. “The airplane was wedged between several trees and remained in one piece except for a few pieces of fabric that were found in an adjacent stream next to the accident site,” the report detailed.
“The fabric on the fuselage, cowling, and wings was completely burned off and the airplane frame was visible.”
ALSO READ| Ahmedabad plane crash: Week on, key recoveries done, debris to be shifted to AAI site
The pilot and one passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. Another passenger sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The NTSB continues to investigate the crash.
