Minford Home Obliterated As Small Plane Slams Into It, Killing Pilot

A quiet stretch of Bennett Schoolhouse Road turned into a disaster scene Thursday when a small single-engine plane crashed into a home in Minford, Scioto County, killing the pilot and gutting the house, officials said. The occupants of the residence managed to escape before the aircraft came down, and fire crews moved quickly to knock down the flames and secure the area. The impact happened in the 1400 block of Bennett Schoolhouse Road, not far from the county airport.

Officials confirm one fatality

Scioto County EMS official Mullins told NBC4 that the single-engine aircraft had only the pilot on board, and that the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. Mullins said the residents inside the house were able to get out before the plane hit and that the home was considered a total loss. Authorities have not yet released the pilot's name.

Plane took off from Minford airport

Officials said the plane had taken off from the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport in Minford shortly before the crash. The airport, listed as KPMH, is a general aviation field that primarily serves small piston aircraft and private flights, according to AirNav. Local authorities did not release any information about where the flight was headed or why it had departed.

Investigators expected to respond

Fatal small-aircraft crashes are typically handled by a mix of federal and state agencies. The National Transportation Safety Board generally takes the lead on on-scene fact gathering, while the Federal Aviation Administration assists with operational and maintenance records, according to the NTSB. The agency’s aviation investigations page notes that steps such as wreckage collection and record review can stretch over weeks or even months.

Local context and recent crashes

Ohio has seen several small-aircraft crashes in recent months, including a May incident near Akron in which two people were killed when a plane slammed into a house and set it on fire. That crash, along with other recent accidents, has renewed scrutiny of safety around small airports, as reported by ABC News.

County officials told NBC4 they are asking anyone who may have video or other information about the Minford crash to contact investigators. Emergency crews remained on scene into the afternoon as authorities worked to recover the wreckage and thoroughly document the site.