http://boston.cbslocal.com/2010/11/07/p ... fitchburg/
Pilot Killed In Fitchburg Plane Crash
November 7, 2010 12:06 PM
A plane went off the runway at Fitchburg Airport and landed in the Nashua River. (credit: CBS)
From Kara Matuszewski Sassone
FITCHBURG (CBS) – Investigators appear to be focusing on mechanical failure as the cause of a deadly plane crash in Fitchburg.
A replica World War II Navy fighter plane crashed into the Nashua River in Fitchburg Saturday afternoon, killing the pilot, 73-year-old Melville “Reese” Dill Jr., of Weston.
Dill and a passenger took off from Hanscom Field in Bedford, but reported engine trouble.
The plane crashed trying to land at Fitchburg-Leominster Airport and ended up upside down in the Nashua River.
Dill was trapped inside. Rescuers tried desperately to free him, but he died.
WBZ-TV’s Jim Smith reports from the scene
The passenger on board survived. His father gave the flight to him and his two brothers as a gift. The brothers were taking turns as passengers.
But when Don Atkinson watched his son Larry’s flight come in, he knew there was trouble.
“I saw the plane come in, make its usual approach and then it just dropped and I saw a splash. I couldn’t believe it. I said ‘I think the plane just crashed.’ (I) ran down, my son had gotten out of the plane already,” he told WBZ-TV
WBZ Radio’s Doug Cope talks to Don Atkinson
Three young men also saw the crash and ran to get help.
WBZ Radio’s Art Cohen talks to Jim Peters of the FAA
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
Raw video of scene
This was the second aircraft to crash in central Massachusetts Saturday.
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Report created 11/8/2010 Record 2 **
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IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 164US Make/Model: AT6F Description: NORTH AMERICAN
Date: 11/06/2010 Time: 1730
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: FITCHBURG State: MA Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY INTO A RIVER AND FLIPPED OVER, THERE
WERE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD, 1 WAS FATALLY INJURED, 1 SUSTAINED UNKNOWN
INJURIES, FITCHBURG, MA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER
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