A small plane crashed on Friday morning near Whiteplains Airport in Lexington County, South Carolina, killing one man and critically injuring the pilot, according to local officials and federal investigators.
The Cirrus SR22 aircraft went down around 9:25 a.m. on Feb. 6 near the intersection of Country Creek Lane and Windy Road in the Gilbert area, about 15 miles west of Columbia, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Aaron McCarter, an aviation accident investigator with the NTSB, said at a press briefing that he was dispatched to lead the investigation into the crash.
The single-engine plane had left from Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) shortly after 9 a.m. and was headed to Decatur, Alabama, according to McCarter. As the plane climbed through 8,000 feet, the pilot reported engine problems and later told controllers the engine had failed.
With power lost, the pilot attempted an emergency landing at Whiteplains Airport, a small private airfield located less than a mile from where the plane ultimately came down.
“The pilot elected to attempt a forced landing at Whiteplains Airport … The airplane crashed 1,800 feet short of the runway at SC99, it impacted trees, resulting in damage to both wing tips,” McCarter said. “Then the airplane tumbled out of control and rolled about 200 feet before coming to rest at an inverted attitude. The airplane did not burn.”
Fisher said the Coroner’s Office is working with the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the investigation continues.
“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr. Nichols,” Fisher said in the statement.
Patricia Nichols responded to the Coroner’s Office post about the accident.
“Thank you for your condolences. We are heartbroken. Andrew was our only child. A wonderful young man with a bright future. He leaves behind a wife and three beautiful children. He was a wonderful son, husband and father. We love him and miss him dearly,” she wrote in a reply on Facebook on Saturday afternoon.
McCarter said the plane had not yet been examined on scene because its ballistic parachute system—a rocket-fired safety device designed to deploy a canopy over the plane—had not been disarmed. Representatives from Cirrus Aircraft were going to secure the system before investigators could begin detailed documentation of the wreckage and recovery of the plane, he said.
Once made safe, investigators planned to overturn the inverted plane to examine the engine and systems more closely.
“We’re paying particular attention to the engine,” he said, adding that representatives from Continental Engines and Cirrus Aircraft will assist in the probe. “The pilot did report an engine failure, so we want to get to the bottom of that.”
Weather conditions were not believed to have played a role. “It was a little bit breezy, but it was blue skies and sunny,” McCarter said.
The NTSB investigator said data from air traffic control, radar, and ADS-B tracking systems will be reviewed to reconstruct the aircraft’s flight path. The pilot’s certifications, flight experience, and familiarity with the Cirrus SR22 model will also be evaluated.
McCarter described the Cirrus SR22 as “a very popular, high performance aircraft with fixed landing gear,” often capable of cruising at high altitudes and speeds for a small plane.
NTD News contacted the Lexington County Fire Service on Sunday afternoon for additional details but did not receive a response prior to publication.
