Pilot Dies in Small Plane Crash at Bangor International Airport
BANGOR, Maine — A 74-year-old pilot was killed when his single-engine Cessna crashed at Bangor International Airport on August 22.
Luigi Accusani, an Italian pilot, was attempting to land to clear customs en route to Rutland, Vermont. He had requested a wind check from the control tower prior to landing, which reported winds at 14 knots with gusts up to 19 knots.
According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a Federal Aviation Administration employee witnessed the crash. The employee stated that as Accusani approached the runway, the left wing of the aircraft dipped close to the pavement, and it appeared the pilot attempted to correct the plane's trajectory in response to a crosswind.
The aircraft veered left, struck a path indicator light, became airborne again, and subsequently cartwheeled before crashing into a fence.
Accusani was the sole occupant of the airplane. He held multiple Italian flight certificates and an FAA foreign-based private pilot certificate, accumulating approximately 2,200 flight hours as of May 31, 2024, when his last FAA second-class medical certificate was issued.
The NTSB is conducting the investigation and will release a final report in due course.