Tragic Small Plane Crash Kills One in Prince George County

LANHAM, MD- Fox5dc.com writes that a small plane crashed into a house in Prince George County over the weekend. The incident occurred in the afternoon, and neighbors say that they heard the crash and came out to see the damage to the home. The aircraft struck the garage and collided with a vehicle inside, which then caught fire. The fire could be seen in the attic of the house as well.*

The FAA stated that the plane, identified as a Grumman American AA-5A, left College City Airport and traveled around one mile before striking the house. The pilot intended to fly to White Plains, New York. 

The fire department stated that the accident caused concern over the possible exposure to jet fuel or hazardous chemicals when a plane crashes. The hazmat team worked at the house to ensure that the cleanup operation left nothing dangerous to the community. Responders also checked the home to ensure that the structure remained intact. 

The incident took out power in the area for at least eighteen residences. 

The victim was the pilot and that individual, who has not yet been identified, was the only person on the aircraft at the time. The National Transportation Safety Board is carrying out an investigation into the incident to determine what caused the plane to come down. 

Small aircraft are considered far less safe than large commercial planes. While many of these crashes are blamed on the pilots, who have less rigid training requirements than commercial aviators, some reports indicate that the planes often have dangerous defects. Some have accused manufacturers of covering up issues with their aircraft and even lying to the authorities regarding product defects. 

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Sources:https://www.fox5dc.com/news/one-dead-after-plane-crashes-into-prince-georges-county-house and https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/12/unfit-for-flight-part-2/10405451/