One dead in small plane crash

Dec 14, 2006 09:12:19

12/14/2006, 7:34 p.m. ET The Associated Press MONTGOMERY, N.Y. (AP) — A 79-year-old pilot was dead after his small plane crashed in Orange County on Thursday, police said. The pilot and sole occupant of the Cessna 310 was identified by state police as Frank L. Holland of West Orange, N. J. The aircraft took off from the Orange County Airport and crashed within a mile of the runway in swampland at the edge of a farm at about 1 p.m., said state police Lt. Pierce Gallagher. "It appears to have not gained altitude and went down," said Steve Gross, acting director of the airport. Officials were not aware of any distress calls before the crash.