ARKANSAS, US- A small airplane crashed and submerged into Lake Hamilton in Arkansas, resulting in the pilot’s death and injuries to his daughter, according to authorities.
The incident occurred near Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport, where the single-engine Cessna 177 Cardinal, piloted by 49-year-old Daniel Dale Jones, went down.
As Garland County Sheriff’s Deputy Courtney Kizer revealed, the pilot requested an emergency landing due to aircraft distress after being diverted from Kentucky due to adverse weather conditions.
Plane Accident in Arkansas
Upon realizing that the aircraft had not landed at Hot Springs airport as planned, authorities received a call from a concerned homeowner who reported the plane crash.
“They had called into the Hot Springs airport that they were going to land there, and we had already had people out on the tarmac waiting for them,” explained Kizer.
Tragically, the pilot was unresponsive when recovered from the scene by divers, and the sheriff’s office confirmed his death.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are actively investigating the accident and the circumstances that led to the distress call.
Preliminary reports from the FAA suggest that the plane experienced engine issues before the crash, as reported by various news outlets. The precise cause of the distress and subsequent crash will be determined as the investigation progresses.
Passenger Hospitalized After Rescue Effort
The passenger aboard the ill-fated plane was identified as Denise Jones, the 23-year-old daughter of the pilot.
According to the sheriff’s office, she was promptly transported to a nearby hospital. Subsequently airlifted to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for further treatment. Both the pilot and passenger are residents of Kentucky.
Dana and Laura Long, who reside in close proximity to the crash site, witnessed the incident and sprang into action.
Dana Long described how his wife saw the plane flash past their window and plunge into the water while he only witnessed the resulting splash. They hurried to the scene, but the aircraft had already submerged for the most part.
Efforts to Save the Passenger
“The young lady popped out,” said Long. “I grabbed a pole, and my wife went to the sea wall. The young lady immediately started to float on her back because she knew she was breaking up pretty well. And my wife got the pole to her and pulled her to the side.”
The Longs managed to rescue the injured woman and bring her to safety on a floating mat. Unfortunately, they were unable to reach the pilot before the first responders arrived.
Authorities have identified the plane as registered with the Federal Aviation Administration to EB Engraving LLC, located in Phoenix, Arizona.
As the investigation progresses, more details regarding the circumstances that led to this tragic plane accident in Arkansas will be revealed.
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