A small plane crashed and caught fire shortly after taking off from Flying W Airport in Lumberton, New Jersey, Friday morning, leaving the pilot injured but conscious and alert as crews rushed to the scene. The aircraft, a single-engine Piper PA-28, went down in a field just north of the runway, and the pilot was the only person aboard.
Reports differed slightly on the exact timing of the crash: phl17.com reported the crash happened at 9:24 a.m., while nj.com cited the FAA in placing it around 9:30 a.m. Either way, the aircraft was already smoldering by the time first responders arrived, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, which also reported the plane was registered with the FAA as a Piper PA-28-181.
The pilot, who survived, was taken by helicopter to a hospital for treatment, according to 6abc, which also confirmed the pilot was conscious and alert following the crash. Phl17.com separately reported that the injured person was transported to Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Engine Trouble Suspected, But No Official Cause Yet
An airport employee told the Inquirer that the plane failed to climb because the engine wasn't making power, though that account has not been confirmed as an official finding. Fox29 reported that it remains unknown at this time what caused the plane to crash, and the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating, per 6abc.
WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM, which first reported on the crash locally, noted that the Piper PA-28 broke apart on impact and caught fire after going down, citing NBC Philadelphia. Video of the crash reviewed by WPG Talk Radio showed the front of the plane severely damaged, with a small area around the wreckage appearing burned.
Roads and Runway Closed Following the Crash
Flying W temporarily closed its runway to air traffic for a few hours following the crash but has since reopened, according to the Inquirer. Fostertown Road was also closed at Main Street for an undisclosed amount of time as crews worked the scene, the outlet reported.
The crash is the latest aviation incident tied to Flying W Airport, which has a history of past trouble. In 2017, a deadly helicopter crash at the airport killed country singer Troy Gentry and the pilot, with the NTSB later ruling that pilot error following engine maintenance problems caused that crash, per the Inquirer.
