Plane crashes in field near Lancaster Airport; pilot killed

LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — A Lebanon County man is dead after authorities say a small plane crashed in a cornfield near the Lancaster Airport Sunday morning.

Sgt. Adam Webber of the Northern Lancaster Regional Police Department said the crash happened in a field just north of the airport off Stauffer Road around 8 a.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was a Piper PA-46 that crashed. A Piper PA-46 is a six-seat private plane.

Webber said the pilot, a man, was killed in the crash. The FAA says he was the only person on board.

The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office identified the pilot as Musaddiq Nazeeri, 58, of South Londonderry Township.

No other injuries were reported.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Sunday’s incident comes days after an airplane’s nose gear collapsed upon landing at the airport near Lititz.

Police say the NTSB will hold a press conference on July 21 at 3 p.m. to discuss the investigation.

Earlier this year, another small plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport as well.