Paul Pelletier dies in fatal Vermont plane crash
Paul Pelletier dies in fatal Vermont plane crash
Fatal Vermont plane crash death of Paul Pelletier – Obituary
Four Connecticut residents tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in Vermont over the weekend.
The victims have been identified as Paul Pelletier, 55, from Columbia; Frank Rodriguez, 88, from Lebanon; and Middletown residents Susan Van Ness, 51, and her 15-year-old daughter, Delilah Van Ness.
According to Vermont State Police, the group was on a nearly two-hour flight from Windham Airport in Connecticut to Basin Harbor Airport in Ferrisburgh, Vermont.
The aircraft, a single-engine Piper, was reported to have landed at Basin Harbor for brunch. However, after leaving the restaurant around noon, the plane did not return as expected.
The absence of any distress signals or crash reports led to a search initiated by Middletown police after a family member raised concerns about the missing plane around 7:15 p.m. on Sunday.
Authorities tracked the cell phone signals to the vicinity of Basin Harbor Airport and alerted the Federal Aviation Administration and Vermont State Police.
Around 10:20 p.m., Vermont State Police, along with Middlebury Police and Vergennes Fire Department, began the search.
Using a drone, they located the wreckage in a wooded area near the airport early Monday morning.
The bodies were subsequently transported to the Burlington medical examiner’s office for autopsy.
Middletown High School, where Delilah was a sophomore and Pelletier taught aviation technology, will close on September 10, with support services available for students and staff.
Superintendent Dr. Alberto Vázquez Matos expressed the community’s grief, noting the significant impact of the loss.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting the investigation into the crash, while Vermont State Police will investigate the deaths.
Paul Pelletier dies in fatal Vermont plane crash Fatal Vermont plane crash death of Paul Pelletier – Obituary Four Connecticut residents tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in Vermont over the weekend. The victims have been identified as Paul Pelletier, 55, from Columbia; Frank Rodriguez, 88, from Lebanon; and Middletown residents Susan Van…
Paul Pelletier dies in fatal Vermont plane crash Fatal Vermont plane crash death of Paul Pelletier – Obituary Four Connecticut residents tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in Vermont over the weekend. The victims have been identified as Paul Pelletier, 55, from Columbia; Frank Rodriguez, 88, from Lebanon; and Middletown residents Susan Van…