On Wednesday, pilot Raymond John Ackley, 43, of Charlotte, N.C. was killed after he attempted in what appears to have been an emergency landing on Interstate 85 in Lexington, North Carolina, authorities have reported. ”‹
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday they were investigating the crash of a twin-engine Beechcraft Barron that hit a tractor-trailer in an attempted landing.
The plane crashed near the Davidson County Airport and collided with the semi at around 5:30 p.m. ET, the FAA said. The interstate is about 300 yards from the end of the runway, and it wasn’t determined if the pilot was attempting a landing or a takeoff when the incident occurred.Â
According to the highway patrol, it was still unclear what led to the crash, and what caused the tractor-trailer to overturn and veer off the road. It was determined the pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi was taken to a hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, they, said.
Master Trooper Ned Moultrie of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said, “The plane descended due to possible mechanical issues. The plane collided with the rear of a tractor-trailer that was traveling south on Interstate 85 and ignited a fire. Both the plane and semi caught fire.”
Lexington, North Carolina is located about an hour northeast from downtown Charlotte, North Carolina.
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