A small plane slammed into the Quabbin Reservoir near New Salem on Friday evening, leaving the pilot in the water and calling for help before first responders hauled him to shore. The man was later airlifted to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, and officials said his condition was not immediately known. Fire officials added that the aircraft remains fully submerged and will stay in the reservoir until a recovery operation can be carried out.
Rescue timeline and response
Calls to 911 started coming in around 7:40 p.m. after a witness reported seeing a plane go into the water and then hearing a voice crying out for help, according to Western Mass News. Troopers from the Belchertown and Athol state police barracks, the state police marine unit and multiple local fire departments rushed to the section of the reservoir near Route 122.
How the pilot was pulled from the water
A Massachusetts State Police trooper used a personal flotation device and a tether line to get out to the pilot in the reservoir, while New Salem firefighters helped haul him back to shore, according to NBC Boston. Crews established both voice and visual contact with the man as they worked to stabilize the scene, then moved him to a waiting ambulance.
Medical evacuation and investigation
The pilot was taken by ambulance to Orange Municipal Airport, where a medical helicopter flew him to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, according to Boston 25 News. Authorities said there were no other people on board the plane and no additional injuries were reported. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified as investigators begin reviewing what led up to the crash.
Why the Quabbin matters
The Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest unfiltered public water supplies in the United States and helps feed the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority system that serves millions of residents, according to MWRA. Fire officials said the downed plane will remain completely underwater in the reservoir until recovery crews can safely remove it, NBC Boston reported.
What happens next
State police and the FAA are handling the investigation into the cause of the crash, while local agencies coordinate the recovery effort, according to Boston 25 News. Officials have not yet released the pilot's name or updated his condition. Authorities said the case remains an active and developing investigation and that further details will be released as they become available.
