South Carolina, United States: Four people were killed after a single-engine aircraft crashed shortly after departure near Union County Airport on April 17, with federal investigators now examining the cause of the fatal accident.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft involved was a Mooney M20P, which went down at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time near the airport shortly after takeoff. All four occupants on board were killed in the crash.
Authorities said the aircraft had departed from Union County Airport and was en route to Ellijay, Georgia, a route often used for short private flights across the region.
Local officials later confirmed the identity of all four victims:
- James Moffatt (60), identified as the pilot
- Leasa Moffatt (61)
- Andrew Moffatt (30)
- William Moffatt (28)
The identities were released by the Union County Coroner’s Office after next of kin had been notified. According to the coroner, the four people were members of the same family and were flying from the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area to the Huntsville, Alabama area.
Emergency crews responded following reports of smoke near the airport area. Due to difficult terrain, the South Carolina Forestry Commission had to deploy heavy equipment, including a bulldozer, to clear access to the wreckage site. Authorities confirmed the aircraft was a single-propeller plane that had crashed in a wooded area near the airport. No survivors were found at the scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead in the investigation, working alongside the FAA, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the coroner.
Investigators will focus on three primary areas:
- The pilot
- The aircraft
- The operating environment, including weather and flight conditions
Officials indicated that the wreckage may be removed from the site in the coming days as part of the investigative process.
The NTSB noted that determining a probable cause could take 12 to 24 months, which is standard for general aviation accident investigations.
