One person dead after plane crashes on Pa. Turnpike at I-83

Mike Argento and Teresa Boeckel, York Daily Record
Updated ·2 min read

Update:

One person has died after an airplane crashed into a vehicle on the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Lawrence Sager, 74, of Harrisburg died Wednesday at UPMC Harrisburg Hospital, according to a spokesperson for Dauphin County. He was in the plane and suffered multiple traumatic injuries in the crash.

Reported earlier:

Emergency personnel responded to a report that an airplane crashed into a vehicle shortly after 2:30 p.m. on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the interchange with Interstate 83, according to York County 911.

"While information is still evolving, we can report that, at about 2:30 p.m. today, a Cessna 180, crashed at on I-76 at the Harrisburg West Interchange, exit 242," Rosanne Placey, manager of communications and marketing for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. "There were two occupants on the plane. One is being transported via aeromedical helicopter and the second patient is being treated at the scene. The FAA is on scene. A maintenance bucket truck was also struck. The occupant of the truck was not injured. All ramps at the Harrisburg West Interchange remain closed."

State police say the plane was attempting to make an emergency landing when the crash happened. It struck the side of the bucket truck that was exiting the Harrisburg interchange of the Turnpike, a news release states.

Emergency crews respond to a plane that crashed into a bucket truck just west of the toll plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike near I-83 May 31, 2023.
Emergency crews respond to a plane that crashed into a bucket truck just west of the toll plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike near I-83 May 31, 2023.

The tail number of the plane is N3178D. FAA records show the plane is registered to a Hummelstown man.

The crash involving the single-engine plane happened just south of the Capital City Airport, according to a spokesperson with the FAA. The agency and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.

The ramps are expected to reopen later this evening, Placey said.

Firefighters, EMTs, state police, the hazmat team and others responded to the crash, and the crews worked efficiently and effectively, said Ted Czech, public information officer for the York County Office of Emergency Management/York County 911.

"It was a great effort by all the first responders," he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for more information.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: One person dead after plane crashes into vehicle on PA Turnpike I-83