‘A mangled mess’: Witnesses recall damage to plane after crash near Lancaster Airport
Lucy and Bob Eby were driving on the road behind the Lancaster Airport on July 20 when they witnessed a plane take off and then crash just seconds later.
By WGAL News Staff
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LITITZ, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — Lucy and Bob Eby were driving on the road behind the Lancaster Airport on Sunday morning when they witnessed a plane take off and then crash just seconds later.
Bob Eby, who is a pilot, said everything looked normal when the plane took off around 8 a.m.
“Everything looked normal. Normal angle. And, the speed was up, the gear was up, and all of a sudden, for whatever reason, he just started nosing down about 10 to 15 degrees, and he flew it right into the cornfield,” Bob Eby said.
The single-engine plane, a Piper PA-45, went down in a field just north of the airport shortly after taking off, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Ebys immediately called 911 and rushed to the scene to try and help.
“I saw a passport on the ground, that’s all. A tennis shoe. I saw a door that was, like, 20 feet away from the aircraft,” Bob said.
The plane was flown by one male, who was deceased when officers arrived at the scene, according to the Northern Lancaster Regional Police Department.
“It was emotional. I am a pilot, so I know what flying a plane is. And, it was really a mangled mess,” Bob said.
WGAL News 8 has reached out to the Lancaster Airport for comment, but hasn’t heard back.
We are also working to find out more information about the plane — who owns it, where it was going and what caused the crash.
The NTSB and FAA told News 8 it is all under investigation.
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