A small plane carrying three people crashed into the 3,000-foot summit of Equinox Mountain in southern Vermont early Wednesday morning, prompting a major rescue operation in harsh winter conditions.
Crash Details
The Piper PA-28 aircraft went down at 3:50 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plane’s pilot did not contact authorities until 8:33 a.m., leading to questions about the five-hour delay before emergency services were alerted.
Miraculously, all three people on board survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
Jamie Greene, first assistant chief at the Manchester Fire Department, stated that heavy snowfall cushioned the impact, reducing the severity of injuries. However, the conditions made the rescue mission extremely difficult, with responders wading through four feet of snow to reach the crash site.
Rescue Operation
Once the pilot called 911, New York State Police, Vermont authorities, and local emergency services mobilised efforts to locate the wreckage.
At 10:16 a.m., first responders identified the crash site. A New York State Police helicopter was dispatched to airlift all three passengers to safety.
- They were transported to the Manchester Public Safety Facility before one passenger was transferred to Albany Medical Center for further evaluation.
The search and rescue effort involved:
✔ Vermont and New York State Police
✔ Local fire and EMS services
✔ Snowmobiles, ATVs, and search teams on foot
Investigation Underway
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash, including why the pilot waited several hours before contacting emergency services.
The Piper PA-28 is a four-seat, single-engine aircraft, commonly used for training and personal flights.
Recent Aviation Incidents Raise Concerns
This crash comes amid a series of recent plane accidents and near-misses across the United States:
✈ January 29: An American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C., killing 67 people, including world champion figure skaters.
✈ February 25: A Southwest Boeing 737 narrowly avoided a collision while landing at Chicago Midway International Airport.
✈ February 20: Two small planes collided mid-air at Marana Regional Airport in Arizona, killing two.
The NTSB is expected to release further details on the Vermont crash in the coming days.
