Charlotte Pilot Dies After Plane Crashes Into Tractor-Trailer On I-85 South
The Latest:
A Charlotte pilot is dead after troopers say he crashed his airplane into a truck on I-85 South Wednesday afternoon.
Officials say Raymond John Ackley, 43, of Charlotte was the only occupant of the plane at the time of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The State Highway Patrol responded to the collision on I-85 South near mile marker 88 around 5:12 p.m.
Troopers say the plane had departed the Lexington Airport just west of I-85 and, for unknown reasons, struck the rear of a tractor-trailer resulting in a fire.
After being struck, the tractor-trailer overturned and traveled off the road to the right.
Troopers say this is when a 2019 Ford truck on I-85 South was damaged from the debris of the collision between the plane and tractor-trailer.
The tractor-trailer was being driven by Barrin Davis, 41, from Concord and he was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after the crash, according to a news release.
Officials say the driver of the 2019 Ford truck, Kirk Fowler, 31, from Rock Hill, was not injured.
The Southbound lanes of I-85 remained closed for several hours after the fiery collision.
The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct the investigation of the crash. The State Highway Patrol will continue to assist federal investigators by securing the scene until relieved.
Original Story (2/16/22):
LEXINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Officials say an airplane crashed into a tractor-trailer on a North Carolina highway, sparking a small fire.
Officials did not immediately say whether there were any casualties from Wednesday crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a twin-engine Beechcraft Barron crashed into the tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 South near the Davidson County Airport in Lexington at around 5:35 p.m.
Video footage from the scene showed firefighters spraying water as flames burned the ground next to I-85 with some debris scattered on the road.
The FAA said it would investigate the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board, but provided no additional details.
