The pilot of a small aircraft that crashed in North Carolina earlier this month had attempted to avoid a turtle on the runway just moments before the fatal incident, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The June 3 crash occurred near Sugar Valley Airport in Mocksville, where the Universal Stinson 108 went down shortly after attempting to land.
Both the pilot and one passenger were killed.
A second passenger survived but suffered serious injuries.
According to the NTSB report, a communications operator watching from the airport office window saw a turtle on the runway and alerted the pilot.
The operator observed the plane land approximately 1,400 feet down the 2,424-foot runway.
As the aircraft approached the turtle, the pilot reportedly raised the right main wheel to avoid hitting it.
The operator then heard the engine throttle up, but the plane disappeared from view.
A man mowing grass at the far end of the runway also saw the incident.
He told investigators he watched the pilot lift the right wheel, followed by the wings rocking side to side as the plane took off again.
He then heard a crash and saw smoke rising from the nearby woods.
The plane crashed approximately 255 feet beyond the runway in a heavily wooded area.
It caught fire after impact.
Investigators said the aircraft remained largely intact, although some fabric parts were found in a nearby stream.
The plane came to rest on its left side, with the left wing folded under the fuselage and the right wing bent toward the tail.
The NTSB notes that preliminary reports focus only on factual information gathered at the scene and do not suggest a probable cause.
A full investigation and final report can take one to two years.
©2025 Cox Media Group
