Firefighters rescued a pilot trapped in a single-engine plane that crashed into the woods 100 feet from a house in Clinton on Saturday afternoon, according to Clinton First Selectman William Fritz.
Fritz said the plane, which was attempting to land at Chester Airport, went down around 3 p.m. in the area of Princess Pine Road and Ironworks Road. A homeowner was in the backyard splitting wood when the plane barreled into the trees.
The homeowner brought a ladder up to the crash site and talked to the pilot, who was conscious and alert, but couldn't get the pilot out, Fritz said. Police have identified the pilot as 62-year-old Shirley Onacilla of Jersey City, New Jersey.
According to Fritz, the plane appears to have run out of fuel. Onacilla, who firefighters pulled from the plane, was taken to Middlesex Hospital for treatment of minor bruises and abrasions. She has since been released.
The National Transportation Safety Board is heading to the scene to investigate the crash. Fritz said the plane is still dangling from the trees 8-10 feet from the ground.
