Overview
- The single-engine Diamond DA20 went down near Fort William Henry in Pemaquid Harbor on Thursday and came to rest upside down in about four feet of water, according to local authorities and federal notices.
- Nearby residents and construction workers entered the water to help before Bristol Fire and Rescue and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office arrived; the pilot was pulled from the wreckage and died at the scene while the passenger escaped and was taken to Lincoln Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
- A local marine barge lifted the plane from the harbor later Thursday and moved it to a secure site for the federal probe, and reporters recorded the aircraft tail number linking it to a registrant in Lee, New Hampshire.
- The FAA's preliminary report says the pilot reported engine trouble before the crash and the NTSB will lead the investigation into any mechanical issues, maintenance history, pilot records, and other factors.
- Investigators will evaluate how the shallow nearshore crash, the salvage operation and a right wing that detached during recovery could affect evidence as they determine cause and authorities continue to withhold victims’ identities pending family notification.