A fatal plane crash in White County has claimed the life of a 79-year-old pilot, identified as local Cleveland resident Paul Winder. The crash occurred last night, near Cleveland, Georgia, according to a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Winder was operating a single-engine Quicksilver Sport 2S, an ultralight aircraft with an open cockpit when it went down around 8:40 p.m. on Monday, as reported by FOX 5.
The White County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident at Mountain Airpark Airport, where witnesses, along with emergency personnel attempted to provide life-saving treatment to Winder. However,, despite their efforts, Winder succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash. This information was provided by White County Sheriff’s Captain Clay Hammond in a statement obtained by AccessWDUN.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are involved in the investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The NTSB is sending an investigator to document the scene and carry out a thorough examination of the wreckage. Subsequently, the airplane will be moved to a secure facility for further analysis.
A preliminary report on the accident is expected to be released within 30 days. According to the authorities, Winder was alone at the time of the crash. Captain Hammond told AccessWDUN that the NTSB investigator is anticipated to begin their onsite investigation on Tuesday. As the community grapples with this tragedy, more details are expected, to emerge following the conclusion of the investigation.
