Investigation underway following single-engine airplane crash near Wright Brothers National Memorial’s First Flight Airport; park to reopen Oct. 1 – OBX Today

Investigation underway following single-engine airplane crash near Wright Brothers National Memorial's First Flight Airport; park to reopen Oct. 1 - OBX Today
Wright Brothers National Memorial covers 428 acres. [image courtesy NPS]

At approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, a single-engine airplane crashed into a wooded area at Wright Brothers National Memorial’s First Flight Airport (FFA).

Additional details:

•Eyewitnesses reported that the airplane was attempting to land at the airport.
•Following the crash, a fire ensued that caused the airplane to burn.
•The fire was extinguished by the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department and other local fire departments.
•Multiple passenger fatalities have been confirmed.
•FFA is closed until further notice.
•The National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency charged with investigating civil aviation accidents in the United States, will investigate the incident. The Federal Aviation Administration has also been notified.

Wright Brothers National Memorial will be closed today, Monday, September 30, to support the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation of the single-engine airplane crash which occurred on September 28.

The park and First Flight Airstrip will re-open on Tuesday, October 1. On Tuesday, Wright Brothers National Memorial will resume regular hours and will be open from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm.