1 dead after 2 separate planes crash in Orange and Warren counties. One pilot survives
At least one person died in two unrelated North Carolina plane crashes Sunday.
The pilot of a plane that crashed in Orange County near Rougemont died early Sunday afternoon, local and federal officials said.
A single-engine Beechcraft 35 crashed around 12:15 p.m. near North Carolina 157 and Breeze Road in northern Orange County, according to information provided by Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies and fire officials found the plane engulfed in flames, Blackwood said.
Only one person was on the plane, a FAA spokesperson wrote in an email.
A witness indicated that the plane appeared to be having trouble just before it crashed.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
Pilot still alive in Warren County plane crash
A second North Carolina plane crash was reported around 2:45 p.m. in Warren County, which is northeast of Orange County near the North Carolina and Virginia border.
The plane’s pilot is alive and currently being treated at the UNC Burn Center, according to reporting by ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner.
This contradicts an initial report by the FAA of there being a fatality in the crash.
A single-engine Cessna 182 crashed while departing from Nocarva Airport in Macon, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. One person was on board. The board didn’t provide any information about whether the person was injured.
(This is a breaking news story that will be updated as more information is available.)
Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
This story was originally published May 21, 2023 at 3:09 PM with the headline "1 dead after 2 separate planes crash in Orange and Warren counties. One pilot survives."
