South Carolina man identified as victim of plane crash near Southport
Authorities have confirmed that John Leo Lucarelli of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was killed in a plane crash near Southport on June 25.
Lucarelli was piloting his single-engine Mooney M20R and was the only person on board the aircraft when it crashed.
According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane took off from the Cape Fear Regional Jetport in Oak Island around 4:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 25.
Peter Knudson, spokesman with the National Transportation Safety Board, said Monday afternoon the pilot indicated he was having engine trouble when he radioed the Jetport and told them of his intent to return.
The plane struck a tree before grazing a home at 4437 Frying Pan Road about a half-mile from the end of the Jetport’s runway.
Several neighbors called 911 to report the incident. According to 911 call records, obtained by the StarNews, a neighbor made the initial call at 4:21 p.m. and described the scene.
“An airplane just came down in the neighbor’s yard,” the male caller said. “There’s a large fire going right now.”
More: Here's what we know so far about a plane that crashed near Southport
The caller told the 911 operator the aircraft was on fire.
“It’s extremely close to a house,” he said. “It may have spread to the house right now. Actually, I do believe it is spreading to the house that it’s on.”
The operator told the caller to get to a safe location and to keep others away from the aircraft. During the call, you can hear the caller yelling for others to stay away from the plane “in case it explodes.”
Records show the first responding units arrived on the scene within two minutes of the call, and according to Southport Fire Chief Charles Drew, the fire was extinguished within 15 minutes.
Lucarelli was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Bradford, Pennsylvania native and businessman, Lucarelli owned an automotive business in Bradford. His current address was in Myrtle Beach. Federal Aviation Administration Records show Lucarelli obtained his private pilot’s license on March 28, 2008.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. On Tuesday, June 27, Atlanta Air Recovery removed the plane from the crash site and transported it to a secure location.
A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said a preliminary report is expected in two to three weeks, but it will take one to two years to complete the investigation.
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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Southport plane crash victim identified as Myrtle Beach man
