A small plane crashed in a wooded area of Somerset County on Sunday morning, killing the pilot, federal officials said.
Franklin Township Police received an aircraft emergency call at 11:26 a.m. after air traffic control reported losing contact with a single-engine aircraft flying over the area. New Jersey State Police launched an aerial search while the Millstone Valley Fire Department deployed a drone. Around 1:20 p.m., updated information from the Federal Aviation Administration led responders to the wreckage near South Middlebush Lane and Hilltop Lane.
The Cirrus SR22 went down at 10:35 a.m., according to the FAA. Responders found the pilot dead inside but have not identified the individual or confirmed if anyone else was on board.
The aircraft had departed from Princeton Airport and was en route to Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, the FAA said.
Authorities secured the crash site and warned the public to stay clear. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are examining the wreckage to determine the cause of the crash. Officials have not provided details on possible factors leading to the incident, and the timeline for the investigation remains unclear.
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