WINCHESTER, NH - At approximately 5 p.m. Thursday, Winchester safety officials with state and local partners located the plane that crashed today in Winchester. Upon locating the plane, safety officials determined that the pilot was deceased.

At 11:26, local dispatchers and 911 emergency medical dispatchers began receiving reports that a plane had crashed in the vicinity of Upper Snow Road and Scotland Road in Winchester.

Winchester Fire and Police crews began search and rescue efforts shortly after the first calls were received. Winchester safety officials began interviewing witnesses and corroborating reports in an effort to triangulate the location of the downed plane.

State Homeland Security and Emergency Management activated the State Emergency Operations Center at 1:30 p.m. to coordinate resources and the various local, state and federal safety entities involved in the search and rescue effort.

As ground search and rescue efforts were underway, Winchester search and rescue crews were joined by crews from Cheshire County, Hinsdale, Keene, Richmond, Swanzey, Troy and Walpole safety agencies. Assistance was also provided from Northfield and Warwick, Massachusetts.

Attempts to search for the downed plane by aircraft were hindered by inclement weather and air rescue efforts were called off. Drones provided by surrounding fire departments continued search efforts from the air.

After rescue crews triangulated a more specific location, teams entered a heavily wooded area on foot and with ATVs. At 5 p.m., the crash site was discovered by a Winchester firefighter and an emergency medical technician determined the pilot was deceased.

Following the discovery of the crash site, the scene was secured and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The pilot was later identified as John Everson, 65, of Danielson, Connecticut.


Posted 7/15/17