2 dead in Maine crash of plane operated by Wiggins Airways

Michael Cousineau, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
Updated ·1 min read

Aug. 23—Two flight crew members in a plane operated by Manchester-based Wiggins Airways died in a crash in Maine on Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The twin-engine Beechcraft BE99 crashed in a field in Litchfield, Maine, about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, according to the FAA.

Flight WIG 634 took off from the Auburn-Lewiston Airport and was scheduled to fly to Wales, Maine, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

The plane previously took off from Manchester on Tuesday morning and landed at the Auburn-Lewiston Airport, according to FlightAware.

The turbo-prop plane, which had two people on board, was "destroyed," according to the FAA.

"Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances," the FAA said.

Wiggins Airways President Donna Nixon said in a statement: "We are filled with sorrow at the passing of our flight crew members. The identities of the pilots will not be released out of respect to their families and friends. Our focus is on supporting their families and our employees through this difficult time."

The plane is owned by UAS Transervices Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida, according to FAA records.

Linda Desrosiers, who lives on Oak Hill Road, told WMTW in Portland, Maine, that her husband was sitting on their porch and saw the tail end of the plane as it was going down.

"Then we heard the explosion and felt the house shake," she said.

Desrosiers said they were among the first to arrive at the crash site, where they saw "debris strewn across the road, a few small smoking areas and an eerie quiet."

"The plane was totally demolished in the area we were in. The biggest piece was no larger than 3 feet wide," she told the TV station.