WYOMING COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — A single-engine plane crash occurred Sunday morning at the Wyoming County Airport, with the pilot miraculously unharmed.
Authorities reported that the sole occupant, a man from North Carolina, was flying when the aircraft experienced engine failure around 7:45 a.m. The pilot remained in good spirits, according to Capt. Tommy Blankenship of the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office.
The aircraft, an SR22 fixed-wing plane, broke through a fence, was halted by a guardrail, and had its parachute deployed. Blankenship noted the crash could have been more severe, as a house was located within a quarter mile of the impact site.
Emergency responders, including the fire department, assessed the situation upon arrival. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation is set to take place once the wreckage is removed on Monday.
“This is the first time we've seen anything like this in our area in 26 years,” Blankenship said, acknowledging the rarity of such incidents at local airports.
The pilot's flight path remains unclear, and no further injuries or fatalities were reported.