The National Transportation Safety Bureau released some details Wednesday afternoon about the crash of a small twin-propeller plane in Litchfield Tuesday night.
The Beech C-99 was operating as a cargo flight for Wiggins Air and crashed under unknown circumstances half a mile from Wales Airport, according to the bureau. There were two people on board who suffered fatal injuries, but the bureau has not released their names or other details about them.
In a statement, the bureau said the plane was on a training flight and had no cargo on board. It took off from Auburn-Lewiston Airport and was seen flying southwest toward O’Connell’s Field before it crashed in a heavily wooded area.
The bureau said the wreckage site is approximately 200 yards long and 50 feet wide and there was no evidence of a fire on the plane before or after the crash.
Investigators plan to remain at the site for the next few days to interview witnesses, and research the pilots’ history and the maintenance history of the plane. The wreckage will then be moved to an offsite facility for further analysis.
A preliminary report expected in two to three weeks will contain factual information gathered up to that point. The final report will identify a probable cause and any contributing factors and will be available in 12-24 months. Crash reports are published on the bureau’s online database.
