An 81-year-old Kingston man died Friday morning after the small plane he was piloting crashed near Curlew Pond in Myles Standish State Forest, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.
Massachusetts State Police were notified of the crash at approximately 7:40 a.m. First responders arrived to find a fixed-wing aircraft down in the wooded area, with the pilot and sole occupant trapped inside.
Firefighters from the Plymouth Fire Department and Plymouth EMS extricated the pilot from the wreckage and transported him to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead at 8:56 a.m.
Authorities identified the pilot as Richard Carrara, 81, of Kingston.
The emergency response included Massachusetts State Police troopers from the Middleboro, Bourne, and Norwell barracks, detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Crime Scene Services, the State Police Air Wing, along with Plymouth Police, Plymouth Fire Department, and Plymouth EMS.
According to investigators, Carrara departed Plymouth Municipal Airport at approximately 6:32 a.m. on a flight to Martha’s Vineyard. Preliminary findings indicate he was attempting to return to Plymouth when the aircraft crashed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the scene and is investigating the cause of the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
