The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
A small plane on its way to North Carolina from Princeton crashed in a wooded area off Hilltop Lane March 30, killing a person believed to be the pilot, authorities said.
The pilot, who was not identified pending next-of-kin notification, took off from Princeton Airport and was en route to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina when it crashed at about 10:35 a.m., according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
An “ear” witness to the crash, a resident of Hilltop Lane, said he heard the plane as it flew over his house, and said the crash sounded like a bomb exploding.
Former Mayor Chris Kelly said he was in his house when he heard the plane making a “sputtering” noise.
“It sounded like an engine really, really straining … then it almost sounded like a bomb went off,” he said. “It was very, very frightening, and it sounded like it was very, very close.”
Kelly said he called Franklin Police and “told them it sounded almost like a plane crashed.”
“It sounded like an engine faltering and straining to gain altitude,” he said. “The dogs were cowering in the living room.”
“You never really think that someone like this is going to happen; very shocking,” Kelly said.
Franklin Township Police said they were notified by unidentified air traffic controllers that they had lost contact with a single-engine aircraft flying over the township at about 11:26 a.m., according to a press release from the FTPD.
The FAA at one point told local responders that the crash site was in a wooded location about 400 feet in from the Zapf Court and Hilltop Lane intersection. The FAA identified the craft as a Cirrus SR22.
The Cirrus SR22, introduced in 1995, is notable for its Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), a whole-frame parachute. It is a lightweight plane that can seat four or five passengers and has a maximum range of more than 1,200 miles.
It’s not known if the parachute system deployed before the crash.
The wreckage and the pilot’s body were found sometime after 1:22 p.m., according to the FTPD press release. Personnel from the FTPD and Millstone Valley Fire Department confirmed the presence of one occupant inside the downed aircraft, according to the release.
Residents within 1,000 feet of the crash site were evacuated for unnamed “safety reasons,” and the area is being secured, according to the release.
“Authorities are advising the public to stay clear of the affected area to ensure the safety of all involved and to avoid interfering with the ongoing investigation,” the release said.
The NJ State Police dispatched a helicopter to aid in the search, while the MVFD deployed their drone in the effort.
The National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the investigation, authorities said.
Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact Detective William Poling at (732) 873-5533, extension 3227, or via email at William.poling@franklinnj.gov.
Here is the Franklin Reporter & Advocate’s interview with former Mayor Chris Kelly, who heard the plane crash:
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