One person is dead after a plane that left from Massachusetts crashed in Pittsford, Vermont.
The plane was located on the east side of Route 7 having sustained heavy damage. There were no passengers on board the aircraft but its pilot was found dead at the scene, say Vermont State Police.
The pilot was identified as 89-year-old Norman Baker from Windsor, Massachusetts. Baker's Cesna left the Pittsfield Municipal Airport in Massachusetts on Wednesday afternoon headed for Middlebury.
Baker has been flying his whole life. He had made the trip from Pittsfield to Middlebury approximately 20 times before Wednesday's crash.
Pittsford Police were alerted by a caller to a crash on Wednesday around 5 p.m. in the area of Sugar Hollow Road. The caller had spotted a small, low-flying aircraft in the area and reported that as the plane traveled out of sight, the caller heard a loud noise. The caller was concerned that the plane had crashed, but did not see a crash or wreckage.
Initial investigation found the caller's claim to be unfounded. Police coordinated with the FAA, Vermont Civil Air Patrol and Rutland Regional Airport to determine that there were no unaccounted for aircraft in the area, nor any broadcasting a distress signal.
Late Wednesday night, however, police were informed of an overdue aircraft en route to Middlebury from Massachusetts. Search parties were activated in Pittsford and surrounding areas.
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The site of the plane crash was discovered Thursday afternoon by a private landowner searching his property. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
