By By EUGENE L. TINKLEPAUGH, Staff Writer
A small plane crashed north of Washington’s Warren Field Airport late Sunday afternoon. The pilot and passenger walked away from the crash and were transported to Beaufort County Hospital.
Their names were not released Sunday.
The single-engine plane went down in a wheat field between Springs Road and Wares Chapel Church Lane.
A fire engulfed the 1940s-vintage stinson and spread quickly through the field before the Old Ford Fire Department and mutual aid responders could put out the flames.
Beaufort County Sheriff Alan Jordan said emergency responders worked quickly to prevent the fire from spreading to the woods.
The sheriff’s office conducted the investigation. Bunyon Fire Department and the Washington Fire-Rescue Services assisted Old Ford with the fire. The state Highway Patrol assisted with traffic control.
Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS was the first to respond to the scene; but because the crash occurred in the county, Old Ford took over jurisdiction.
Old Ford Fire Chief Buzz Briley said the pilot and passenger were transported to the hospital before Old Ford’s arrival.
Jordan said the sheriff’s office had conducted a conference call Sunday with representatives of both the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Safety Board.
Jordan had no update on the status of the plane’s two occupants as of press time Sunday.
Jordan said the sheriff’s office would have a press release today with more information.