An 81-year-old pilot has died after a small plane crashed into a pond in Massachusetts, prompting a desperate rescue attempt by bystanders.
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The crash happened at around 7:40 a.m. local time on July 16 in the Curlew Pond area of Myles Standish State Park in Plymouth.
The pilot was later identified as Richard Carrara, who was pronounced dead at approximately 8:56 a.m.
Pilot Dies Following Massachusetts Plane Crash
Emergency crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the crash.
When first responders arrived, they found Carrara, the aircraft's only occupant, trapped inside the plane.
He was removed from the wreckage and taken to the hospital with serious injuries, where he later died.
Authorities believe Carrara departed Plymouth Municipal Airport at around 6:32 a.m. before making a short trip to Martha's Vineyard.
The crash occurred as he was returning to Plymouth.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft involved was a Piper PA-18.
Witnesses Tried to Rescue Trapped Pilot
Witnesses said they heard the plane's engine lose power moments before it plunged into the water.
Before emergency crews arrived, several people launched kayaks and paddled toward the overturned aircraft in an attempt to rescue the trapped pilot.
"The windshield had blown out of it, I guess, when it landed," John Gurney told WCVB. "It was full of water. You're out there helpless. You know there is somebody in there. You don't know what state they're in."
Despite their efforts, Gurney and the others were unable to reach Carrara, who was reportedly underwater for 15 to 20 minutes before rescuers pulled him from the plane.
Another witness, James Campbell, said Carrara appeared to steer the aircraft toward the center of the pond to avoid putting others at risk.
"He's definitely a good pilot, cause he obviously decided that he would go down in the middle of the pond so that he wouldn't endanger anyone else," Campbell said.
Longtime friend Kenneth Fosdick remembered Carrara as an experienced pilot, a Vietnam War veteran who flew overseas, and a skilled builder who constructed airport hangars.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have opened an investigation into the crash.
