A pilot died Tuesday night after a small plane crashed into a commercial yard shortly after departing Chandler Municipal Airport in Arizona, according to officials.
Firefighters arrived just 10 minutes later and extinguished a fire that had broken out on the downed aircraft, according to a statement sent to NTD News from the Chandler Fire Department. The department confirmed there was a single casualty and no other passengers on board, and said no one on the ground was injured.
The Chandler Fire Department said it has since handed the scene over to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation. The FAA confirmed it will investigate alongside the NTSB, which will serve as the lead agency and provide future updates.
In a statement to NTD News, the NTSB said an investigator was expected on scene Tuesday to document the crash site and examine the wreckage, after which the plane will be recovered and moved to a secure facility for further evaluation. The agency cautioned that the circumstances surrounding the crash remain unknown and that preliminary details are subject to change as the investigation continues.
According to the agency, investigators typically focus on three core areas in aviation accident probes: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment. As part of that process, the agency said it will collect air traffic control recordings, radar and flight track data, weather conditions at the time of the crash, and a 72-hour background check on the pilot to determine whether any factors may have affected his ability to fly safely.
The crash comes roughly a week after a separate incident in Washington state where all 11 people aboard a Kenmore Air seaplane survived after it crashed and caught fire near Sucia Island on July 24, prompting a multi-agency rescue effort involving the U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard and civilian boaters. That crash, involving a de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter floatplane, also remains under investigation by the FAA and NTSB, with no cause yet identified.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the seaplane flying low over the water before going down near the shoreline. People aboard were seen getting out as smoke rose from the fuselage moments before much of the aircraft was engulfed in flames.
David Gudgel, chief executive of Kenmore Air, said the company’s main focus is supporting passengers, crew members and their families. "We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for,” Gudgel said.