Dartmouth, United States: A fiery plane crash on Interstate 195 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, claimed the lives of a Rhode Island couple early Monday morning. The victims have been identified as 68-year-old Thomas Perkins and his 66-year-old wife, Agatha, both of Middletown, Rhode Island. The crash occurred around 8 a.m. after the couple’s Socata TBM 700 aircraft, a single-engine turboprop, took off from New Bedford Regional Airport.
According to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, the couple was found in the fuselage and pronounced dead at the scene. A woman driving a silver Hyundai Sonata was injured when part of the plane struck her vehicle. She was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.
Aviation experts suggest that the pilot may have been attempting to return to New Bedford Regional Airport but faced mechanical issues, leading to the decision to land on or near the highway.
Tom Kinton, former CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority, commented, “That’s the first thing you look for is a pasture or a highway to get that plane down, and maybe they were trying to do it.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident. Initial reports indicate that the pilot did not file a flight plan or provide information about the number of people aboard the aircraft.
The crash occurred amid a nor’easter that brought strong winds and rain to the region. New Bedford Regional Airport remained open, but many commercial and private flights were canceled due to the storm.
Interstate 195 was closed in both directions for several hours. The center and right lanes on the eastbound side reopened at about 2:45 p.m., while all lanes on the westbound side reopened shortly before 3:15 p.m. The left lane on eastbound I-195 remained closed as of 6:30 p.m.
The aircraft involved in the crash was owned by Easton Air, LLC, based in Middletown, Rhode Island. The FAA and NTSB are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash.
