NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Federal investigators are on the scene of a fatal plane crash in a Massachusetts cemetery.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Lynn Spencer said Tuesday that investigators will spend about two days at the Rural Cemetery in New Bedford.
A preliminary report is expected in about two weeks.
Westport resident Paul Vidal crashed his Cessna 150 Monday afternoon about 40 minutes after taking off from New Bedford Regional Airport.
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Spencer says witnesses report Vidal was in good spirits as he spent about 15 minutes doing pre-flight checks.
She also cautioned against drawing conclusions from video and witness statements suggesting Vidal was doing aerobatic maneuvers.
UPDATE
— Scott McDonnell (@ScottMcDonnell_) November 5, 2019
-Video from New Bedford shows final moments before fatal crash.
Plane looks to be in a nosedive straight toward the cemetery in crashed into yesterday.@NTSB saying pilot was “cheerful and ready to fly” before take off yesterday.@boston25 pic.twitter.com/ei2HyuS03F
Vidal's family says the 74-year-old was a seasoned pilot who loved flying. The Federal Aviation Administration says Vidal was a licensed private pilot since at least 2010.
Associated Press
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