A skydiving plane crashed Wednesday evening at Cross Keys Airport, injuring all 15 people onboard but causing no fatalities, officials said.
The Cessna 208B, leased from a Virginia company and operated by a Monroe Township skydiving center, took off shortly before 5:20 p.m. The pilot reported engine trouble minutes after liftoff and attempted to return for an emergency landing. The plane went down in a wooded area near the runway.
Cross Keys Airport sits in Williamstown and serves as a hub for recreational aviation and skydiving activities in southern New Jersey. The airport has a single asphalt runway and hosts one of the region’s largest skydiving centers.
Emergency responders arrived swiftly and treated all 15 passengers at the scene. Several passengers suffered exposure to jet fuel and crews decontaminated them before transporting them to area hospitals. Fourteen injured people were taken to medical facilities, including three in critical condition who emergency crews airlifted by helicopter. Others received care at local emergency departments.
Flight tracking data indicated the plane descended rapidly shortly before contact with controllers ended.
The aircraft had a previous incident last year when its nose landing gear collapsed during landing, which investigators attributed to pilot error.
Officials from Monroe Township Police, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Investigators continue to examine the wreckage at the site. Once the investigation finishes, authorities plan to remove the aircraft and clean the area.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.