New Hampshire

Door from plane that crashed in NH found in Manchester yard

Londonderry police and the NTSB said the door was recovered from a Manchester yard about six miles north of the crash site

The NTSB shared photos of a left cockpit door/hatch that was recovered in Manchester, New Hampshire — about six miles north of where a small plane crashed in Londonderry, NH, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
NTSB

A door that fell off of a small plane before it crashed in a Londonderry, New Hampshire, neighborhood on Friday was found in a nearby city.

Londonderry police said Sunday that they were notified the morning of the crash by Manchester police that a plane door had been found in the backyard of a home there.

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A Londonderry officer responded to the Manchester address and verified that it was most likely related to the crash behind a home on Colonial Drive in Londonderry.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified, and the door was recovered.

The NTSB confirmed the left cockpit door/hatch was found in a yard about six miles north of the crash site.

The Beechcraft 99 crashed into the woods around 7:30 a.m. Friday shortly after takeoff from the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and was on its way to Presque Isle International Airport in Maine, the FAA previously said.

The pilot was the only person on board Wiggins Airways Flight 1046. Trapped, the pilot was removed from the plane by firefighters and taken to a local hospital before being transferred to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. There's been no update on his condition, or any word on what may have caused the crash.

The NTSB said an investigator arrived on scene Saturday, and the wreckage was moved to a secure facility in Westfield, Massachusetts, for further examination.

The NTSB investigation will look at the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. The investigator will also gather information and records on flight track data; air traffic control communications; aircraft maintenance; weather forecasts; weather and lighting conditions at the time of the crash; pilot's license, ratings and recent flight experience; 72-hour background of the pilot; witness statements; electronic devices; and any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras.

A preliminary report will be available in 30 days.

The NTSB said it would not speculate about the cause of the crash, adding that a probable cause along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the agency's final report, which is expected in 12-24 months.

The investigation is ongoing by the NTSB and FAA.

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