Plane crash at SC RV park

[KSDP_PA]

A singe-engine plane crashed into a recreational vehicle park near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Agency spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said a Cessna 172 came down about a half mile off the end of the runway around 1 p.m. Two RVs and a vehicle apparently caught fire, she said, citing local police.
There was no immediate word on injuries.

I'm hoping that all are OK (pets and people). The "stuff" can always be replaced.

[DriVer]

=== FLASH ===

WMBF News reports 2 persons dead at the scene the pilot and the occupant of an RV in which the aircraft impacted into. The crash took place at the Briarcliff RV Park in North Myrtle Beach.

North Myrtle Beach Fire and Police units are on the scene.

Walking wounded observed at the scene additional details will follow when available. Eearly reports state that a female occupant of the RV was a victim.

SCNOW.com

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[DriVer]

At this hour, it's confirmed that the pilot was shooting touch and go's in IFR conditions at the North Myrtle Beach Airport. The airport has a manned tower.

According to flightaware.com a closed traffic pattern was initially observed however the aircraft extended his pattern and made a right turn out of the pattern that he had established at which point it is assumed that the pilot may have struck the tree tops and caused the aircraft to crash. Eye witnesses report that there may have been a problem with the engine of the aircraft since the engine was making sputtering sounds.

A truck was observed in the vicinity of the crash site which appears to have been consumed by fire. The aircraft struck what appears to be a travel trailer. 1 woman was in the travel trailer and was killed. Her husband was outside the RV and he was burned and observed walking in a dazed condition. 2 nurses on lunch who saw the black plume of smoke made their way to the scene of the accident, found and treated the husband. He was later taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. Witnesses report a loud crashing noise at the moment of the impact.

The aircraft, A Cesna Skyhawk SP (170) is on the ground right side up and its N number on the fuselage was still readable however the cabin of he aircraft is totally destroyed. Aircraft debris is strewn across the area and remnants of the aircraft are visible in a tree. Fire fighters on the scene were shown draping an area over the debris.

From the video on TV it does not appear that any other RVs were severely damaged in the crash and the majority of the damage is localized to a single campsite.

The county coroner is responding as is the NTSB from Columbia....

More to follow ....

Below in OE manufacturer information about the aircraft type involved in the crash.

Skyhawk

[sandersmr]

The pilot died as did someone on the ground. Sad.

[DriVer]

It was reprted that the LP tanks on the front of the travel trailer exploded. The front of the travel trailer was consumed by fire.

[diandtom]

I got this from the news.
Myrtle Beach News - Breaking and Local Myrtle Beach News | Sun News

[Monacoach]

Horrifying story. That poor woman was trapped in the Rv.

[Max Hubrich]

A sad day in NMB--

[DriVer]

According to the Sun News, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The crash took place just after 1:00pm on Tuesday at the Briarcliff RV Resort amid screams form the victims and other people in the immediate area.

Horry Country Coroner Robert Edge said that the female victim was Eve Sullivan 70 from New Hampshire. The pilot's identity was not available.

The woman and her husband were sitting on the couch in the RV when the plane crashed into the RV. The husband suffered from 1st degree burns and was taken to the Grand Strand Medical Center just about 2 to 3 miles down Highway 17 at 82nd Street. The spokesperson at the hospital said the husband was being treated for non-life threatening conditions.

It is reported that the plane clipped the trees and it came tumbling down onto the campsite where the Trailer was located. The crash took place at the north end of the park close to highway 17. A number of witnesses heard the airplane as it passed low overhead followed by a explosion.

The aircraft was in traffic at the Grand Strand airport. The conditions at the time were light drizzle and cloudy. Although the people that operate the park said that the resort was relatively empty the aircraft impacted in a portion of the park that was well occupied.

It is reported that the aircraft belonged to a company called Flyfish LLC out of Plymouth, MA. The pilot is reported to have lived in the local area and the aircraft was parked at the Myrtle Beach airport for quite some time. The pilot was doing touch and go routines in order to keep up his flight certifications. According to the FAA the crash took place after the departure of 1 of the T&G evolutions. The NTSB is said to be investigating the site today.

When the aircraft crashed, it exploded into a huge fireball according to witnesses and the LP tanks on the trailer were also involved in the fire and exploded. In the picture the left side of the travel trailer is missing up to 3/4s of the way back and dangling wires and fire damage are visible.

It is reported that RV'ers in the vicinity of the crash saw a man come toward them dazed and obviously injured who was asking, "Where's my wife?" A few brave RV'ers in the spirit of helping one another approached the scene with hand held fire extinguishers but the intensity of the flames was too intense for them to approach.

It was reported by at least one person that was in their RV at the time of the explosion that it knocked her to the floor. Several of the campers in the park who watched this event unfold are reported to be shaken by this event and one person stated that she could not get the screaming out of her head.

Concluding the articles, one person stated, "But for the Grace of God" that the aircraft may have landed on her trailer.

For more information ......

[ISLAPP]

Unbelievable...We have stayed at this campground several times.
Mike

[Retired and Happy]

What a tragedy. It will be interesting to see a followup as to what happened ..how close to an airport they were, etc.

EDIT: Ok, saw another report below......

[DriVer]

Here is the flight tracker plot of the aircraft. The tail number of the aircraft is N2100V.

FlightAware > N2100V

The pilot was identified as Kenneth Thode, 62 of Plymouth, MA.

[DriVer]

As of yesterday, the aircraft wreckage had been pulled from the campsite and laid out closeby in the anatomical position of an aircraft. NTSB investigators stated that there was no obvious problems with the engine, electrical system or the with the cables and control surfaces.

The aircraft was removed yesterday from the Briarcliff Resort for further testing at NTSB labs. It may take up to a year to get the final report form the investigation. There was no immediate assumption of pilot error or physical anomaly that might have happened to the pilot.

North Myrtle Beach firefighters who responded to the scene were invited to a grammar school which is in the immediate area and the children who were attending class at the time of the crash had the opportunity to thank the firefighters for keeping them safe.

[FDchief]

Very sad. My thoughts and prayers to all involved.