Pilot in Charlestown plane crash heard 'very loud bang' before hitting wires, report says
Aug. 3—CHARLESTOWN — Federal investigators are continuing to examine the engine of a small airplane that crashed into the Connecticut River in late June, according to a report published Tuesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report on the June 22 crash says the 27-year-old pilot of the single-engine aircraft heard a "very loud bang" and then experienced reduced engine power before striking high-tension power lines and plunging into the water around 10:15 a.m.
"The engine was retained for further examination," the report states.
The pilot, George Tucker of Ludlow, Vt., suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said at the time. According to the NTSB report, he took off around 10 a.m. from Hartness State Airport in Springfield, Vt., and flew east over the river looking for potential spots to land a floatplane on a future trip. The report refers to him as an "airline transport pilot," which is the highest-level certification a pilot can receive, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Tucker was flying low in a Piper PA-18A aircraft, but climbed in altitude "well before" nearing the wires, the report states. After gaining elevation, though, he heard the loud noise, and the plane began to vibrate. He couldn't regain engine power or altitude, and tried to land in a field adjacent to the river, but instead hit the power lines and crashed in the water.
The first officer at the scene found Tucker swimming about 50 feet from where the wing of the yellow biplane was sticking out of the water, police said at the time. First responders were able to communicate with Tucker, who swam the approximately 200 yards to the shore where officers were able to help him out of the water.
The final report — which will provide a description of the crash, a review of the investigative analysis and determine the probable cause of the crash — will take 12-24 months to complete, NTSB spokeswoman Jennifer Gabris said Wednesday.
"To sum it up, the investigator will continue to gather any facts, data, or information necessary," she said in an email. "... NTSB specialists analyze the information gathered to piece together a sequence of events and determine what happened to cause the accident."
The June plane crash was the second in Charlestown in less than a year. A Ryegate, Vt., man died, and a Windham, Maine, pilot suffered minor injuries when the ultra-light aircraft they were in struck power lines and crashed at Morningside Flight Park on July 10, 2021. The NTSB's final report on that crash has not yet been completed.
Jack Rooney can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1404, or jrooney@keenesentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @RooneyReports.
