Federal officials investigate cemetery plane crash

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.

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