ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — A fatal airplane crash in Orangeburg meant a day of searching for local agencies at the state and local levels on Saturday.
William Smith said he heard what sounded like an explosion while working outside his home that morning. He said that with construction and an airport nearby, he didn't think much of the loud noise at first.
"I heard the boom. It sounded like a tractor tire blew up," he said. "About fifteen minutes later I began to see the airplanes - an airplane [circling the area]. Then about 35 to 40 minutes later, there was another plane and knew something was going on."
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a single-engine Beech BE-35 aircraft crashed in a field about six miles from Orangeburg Municipal Airport in South Carolina around 10:20 a.m. The Orangeburg County Coroner, Samuetta V. Marshall, said a search for the downed aircraft began shortly after as the FAA called Orangeburg County 911.
"An emergency operations search ensued where they thought the plane went down," Marshall said. "SLED helicopters and medical helicopters were called in to help search. Ultimately, the wreckage was found by the SLED helicopter."
She said the plane was located just before 2 p.m. on Saturday and added that the deceased has not been identified pending the results of an autopsy.
Coroner Marshall said there is no cause available just yet regarding what led to the crash. She said her agency will be meeting with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Sunday to continue the investigation.
She said the aircraft will remain on the scene until the NTSB arrives.