Plane crash sparks mystery in Alabama as pilot was nowhere to be found
An abandoned, bloodstained plane was mysteriously found wrecked in a secluded Alabama airfield, with no pilot to be found.
On Friday morning, the Elberta Volunteer Fire Department responded to a crash in Baldwin County - located on the Gulf Coast, just east of Mobile - where a small Cessna 182 aircraft reportedly had gone down, as reported by WPMI News.
But when authorities arrived, they found the small aircraft flipped upside down, bloodstains and shattered glass inside, with no sign of a pilot - or anyone else.
'It was flipped upside down and the occupants were no longer there,' Baldwin County Emergency Management Director Tom Tyler told AL.com.
'They apparently had walked away and were transported somewhere,' he added.
At around 9am Friday morning, the fire department was alerted to a crash involving a Cessna 182 - a lightweight, single-engine, two-seater plane - in a field off Gardner Road and County Road 95.
The last known details of the flight's route were recorded in data from FlightRadar24, which showed the aircraft circling the Orange Beach area before heading north and ultimately vanishing from the radar, WPMI reported.
First responders and emergency personnel quickly arrived on the scene, prepared to administer first aid to the pilot and any passengers injured in the crash, according to WKRG News.
However, all they found was a completely abandoned aircraft, with no occupants in sight - only traces of blood and shattered glass inside the otherwise empty plane.
Images from the crash site, obtained by WKRG, revealed that the plane's wing appeared to have been damaged, likely from the force of impact with the ground.
'They had about 50 gallons of fuel onboard,' Tyler told AL.com. 'But there was no leaking or no oil that the first responders could see.'
Upon further investigation, tire marks were also discovered at the crash site, hinting at a more puzzling scenario, Tyler explained.
As authorities attempted to find and contact the plane's owner and missing pilot, initial theories suggested that those on board may have been taken to a medical facility in Florida, WKRG reported.
By Friday afternoon, however, it remained unclear whether the occupants had been identified or located.
'I've not been told of anybody self-reporting to a hospital for any kind of injuries associated with this,' the EMA director told the outlet.
Tyler also mentioned that he hadn't heard of any injuries matching the crash, telling AL.com, 'I certainly have not heard from any area hospitals.'
Although the discovery was made Friday morning, officials later stated they believe the crash occurred around 5pm Thursday evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to arrive on Monday, as the situation is not deemed urgent - no one was killed, and the aircraft is now considered abandoned.
Friday's bizarre discovery comes just weeks after two people were killed when their small aircraft crashed near the Sugar Valley Airport in Mocksville, North Carolina, on June 3.
The cause of the deadly wreck - which also left one passenger seriously injured - was revealed to be a turtle on the runway that the pilot maneuvered to avoid.
A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the pilot had lifted the plane's right main wheel to avoid striking the turtle, eventually leading to the fatal disaster.
Just before touching down, a communications operator informed the pilot of the turtle. The operator told the NTSB that the pilot landed and traveled about halfway down the runway before lifting the wheel in an attempt to avoid hitting it.
The plane ultimately left the operator's view. A man cutting grass at the time reported seeing its wings 'rock back and forth.'
The small aircraft took off again before disappearing over the trees. A witness then heard a 'loud crash and saw smoke,' according to the agency.
It was found wedged between two trees in a heavily forested area, around 255 feet away from the runway.
Although the aircraft remained intact, a fire soon broke out and the plane's wings were completely burned off.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Plane crash sparks mystery in Alabama as pilot was nowhere to be found
An abandoned, bloodstained plane was mysteriously found wrecked in a secluded Alabama airfield, with no pilot to be found. On Friday morning, the Elberta Volunteer Fire Department responded to a crash in Baldwin County - located on the Gulf Coast, just east of Mobile - where a small Cessna 182 aircraft reportedly had gone down, as reported by WPMI News. But when authorities arrived, they found the small aircraft flipped upside down, bloodstains and shattered glass inside, with no sign of a pilot - or anyone else. 'It was flipped upside down and the occupants were no longer there,' Baldwin County Emergency Management Director Tom Tyler told 'They apparently had walked away and were transported somewhere,' he added. At around 9am Friday morning, the fire department was alerted to a crash involving a Cessna 182 - a lightweight, single-engine, two-seater plane - in a field off Gardner Road and County Road 95. The last known details of the flight's route were recorded in data from FlightRadar24, which showed the aircraft circling the Orange Beach area before heading north and ultimately vanishing from the radar, WPMI reported. First responders and emergency personnel quickly arrived on the scene, prepared to administer first aid to the pilot and any passengers injured in the crash, according to WKRG News. However, all they found was a completely abandoned aircraft, with no occupants in sight - only traces of blood and shattered glass inside the otherwise empty plane. Images from the crash site, obtained by WKRG, revealed that the plane's wing appeared to have been damaged, likely from the force of impact with the ground. 'They had about 50 gallons of fuel onboard,' Tyler told 'But there was no leaking or no oil that the first responders could see.' Upon further investigation, tire marks were also discovered at the crash site, hinting at a more puzzling scenario, Tyler explained. As authorities attempted to find and contact the plane's owner and missing pilot, initial theories suggested that those on board may have been taken to a medical facility in Florida, WKRG reported. By Friday afternoon, however, it remained unclear whether the occupants had been identified or located. 'I've not been told of anybody self-reporting to a hospital for any kind of injuries associated with this,' the EMA director told the outlet. Tyler also mentioned that he hadn't heard of any injuries matching the crash, telling 'I certainly have not heard from any area hospitals.' Although the discovery was made Friday morning, officials later stated they believe the crash occurred around 5pm Thursday evening. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to arrive on Monday, as the situation is not deemed urgent - no one was killed, and the aircraft is now considered abandoned. Friday's bizarre discovery comes just weeks after two people were killed when their small aircraft crashed near the Sugar Valley Airport in Mocksville, North Carolina, on June 3. The cause of the deadly wreck - which also left one passenger seriously injured - was revealed to be a turtle on the runway that the pilot maneuvered to avoid. A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the pilot had lifted the plane's right main wheel to avoid striking the turtle, eventually leading to the fatal disaster. Just before touching down, a communications operator informed the pilot of the turtle. The operator told the NTSB that the pilot landed and traveled about halfway down the runway before lifting the wheel in an attempt to avoid hitting it. The plane ultimately left the operator's view. A man cutting grass at the time reported seeing its wings 'rock back and forth.' The small aircraft took off again before disappearing over the trees. A witness then heard a 'loud crash and saw smoke,' according to the agency. It was found wedged between two trees in a heavily forested area, around 255 feet away from the runway. Although the aircraft remained intact, a fire soon broke out and the plane's wings were completely burned off.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
All four pilots suspended after runway collision which saw Boeing slice through tail fin of parked Airbus
ALL four pilots involved in a horrifying runway plane collision which saw one jet slice through another's tail fin have been suspended. Harrowing footage showed a Boeing shred through a stationary Airbus while on the tarmac - just moments before it was set to take off. 3 3 3 Hundreds were left stranded after the shocking accident which unfolded in front of terrified passengers who watched debris scatter across the runway. The two Vietnam Airlines aircraft smashed into each other at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam on June 27 - with both aircraft carrying a total of 386 passengers. The Ho Chi Minh City-bound Boeing 787 was taxiing for take-off when it struck an Airbus A321, parked on the tarmac, waiting to head to Dien Bien. Vietnam Airlines has now suspended the four pilots involved - two from each jet. Meanwhile, investigators are still probing the exact cause of the crash. Initial findings have suggested human error, due to the fact the Airbus was not parked correctly on the runway at the time of the smash. The dramatic collision took place at the intersection of taxiways S and S3, under clear weather conditions. In the shocking footage, a blue Airbus can be seen taxi-ing just moments before take-off. But seconds later, another jet's right wing rips through the rear section of the stationary aircraft - almost like butter. Frightened passengers watched in disbelief as they saw parts of the plane's tail stabilizer shoot off onto the floor. Both planes immediately disembarked hundreds of panicked flyers after the accident. And they were given replacement flights to board shortly after. An independent team hired by the airline are investigating the crash, alongside the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. The terrifying footage comes after a recent string of horror aviation accidents. Heartstopping footage showed the moment an American Airlines flight saw smoke and sparks flying from the plane's engine. Harrowing video of the incident was shared on social media, showing puffs of smoke and orange sparks coming from the plane's engine. And last week, a Ryanair flight crashed into a barrier and suffered a badly smashed wing after landing at a Greek airport. The Boeing 737 suffered 'severe turbulence' during the flight, before those onboard heard a huge bang as the aircraft landed and collided with a barrier.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Ex-French army general and couple die in horror plane crash as jet smashes into residential area minutes after takeoff
THREE people have died after a plane crashed into a French neighbourhood just three minutes after taking off. A former army general, 77, and a couple on board the Cessna 172 tourist plane all died in the tragic air disaster. 5 5 5 The experienced pilot lost control of the small aircraft as it plummeted towards a residential area in Champhol, a town in central France. All three died upon impact, public prosecutor Frederic Chevallier confirmed. The crash took place shortly before 4pm on Friday. Chevallier added that the couple onboard the light aircraft were a man and a woman in their 60s. The veteran French army general, who was piloting the plane, was praised for how he managed to avoid any civilian casualties on the ground when the plane spiralled down. Chevallier says he believes "the pilot likely prevented a greater tragedy by avoiding the houses". The only other damage caused was to a parked car in the area. Initial investigations say the aircraft is believed to have made a sharp turn that is said to have been too tight to perform. The lead prosecutor said the plane made a "sudden turn" before suffering a "rapid descent". It then smashed into a "low wall in a garden" and came to a sudden stop. Two killed and one injured in plane crash after pilot lost control while trying to dodge a turtle on the runway The light aircraft was owned by the Chartres Metropole aerodrome flying club. An investigation into the exact cause of the crash is still ongoing. It comes as another life was claimed when a small plane crashed near Boston. The Mooney M20 aircraft hit a street close to Beverly Regional Airport in Massachusetts at around 8.45am with one other critically injured. Another tragic plane accident saw two people killed after a small private plane crashed when a pilot lifted a wheel to dodge a turtle on the runway. The pilot and a passenger were killed when the plane collided with a wooded area near Sugar Valley Airport in North Carolina and burst into flames on June 3. A second passenger was severely injured in the crash. A communications officer looking out the airport office window advised the pilot that the reptile was on the runway as he prepared to land. To avoid hitting the turtle, the pilot lifted the right wheel of the Universal Stinson 108 plane and pushed the throttle forward - leading to the serious crash. 5 5
