LONDONDERRY, N.H. (WHDH) - A pilot was taken to an area hospital Friday morning after a plane crashed in a Londonderry, New Hampshire neighborhood, officials said.
The FAA in a statement said the Wiggins Airways flight crashed near 7:30 a.m. after leaving Manchester Boston Regional Airport on its way to Presque Isle International Airport in Maine.
Emergency crews soon responded and remained on scene near the crash site off Colonial Drive near 4 p.m.
The pilot was the only person on board, according to the FAA. There were no reported injuries to anyone on the ground.
“It kind of freaked me out a little bit,” said Eddie Saktanaset, who lives close to the crash site. “It kind of scared me. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
—
WATCH: Officials provide update after plane crashes in Londonderry, NH neighborhood
—
Officials shared additional details late Friday morning, with Manchester Airport Director Ted Kitchens saying crews were first notified of a pending aircraft emergency at 7:25 a.m.
Kitchens said airport personnel rushed rescue and firefighter teams into position on a runway to await further information.
At approximately 7:28 a.m., air traffic controllers told crews “an incident had occurred.”
Kitchens said airport representatives later moved to the crash site in Londonderry.
Fire chief describes challenging rescue of pilot
Londonderry Fire Chief Bo Butler said Friday’s crash was “an incredibly high risk, low frequency event that was professionally and competently mitigated by the members of the Londonderry Fire Department.”
“It was one of those situations where there’s not a lot of experience, so that’s where training comes into play,” he said.
Crews arriving at the crash site found the downed plane.
Working through twisted metal and debris, Butler said rescuers ultimately pulled the injured pilot through the plane’s front windshield before putting him in an ambulance.
Though he did not share details on the pilot’s condition, Butler said the pilot was responsive and had been taken to a Boston hospital as of late Friday morning.
“He ought to play the lottery, for sure,” Butler said. “This was a very significant emergency response that we responded to and a lot of things could have gone wrong further than the aircraft crashing, itself.”
Officials laud multi-agency response to crash
Butler detailed a wide-ranging emergency response involving state, local and federal agencies Friday morning.
In their own remarks, officials including Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais shared their thanks.
“I’m deeply appreciative of the response of the first responders to be on scene as quickly as possible and very appreciative of just this entire collaborative effort that we have had thus far,” Ruais said.
Kitchens similarly lauded first responders for their efforts and cooperation.
In Londonderry, Colonial Drive remained completely blocked off for hours on Friday.
Close to the actual crash site, photos showed the wreckage of the plane resting in a wooded area behind a home. Debris were scattered around the plane and the area was taped off. Among debris, Londonderry Deputy Fire Chief Phillip LeBlanc told 7NEWS the plane was carrying just over 250 gallons of fuel, which spilled into the woods.
FAA, NTSB to investigate crash
The FAA said the plane in this crash was a Beechcraft Model 99.
Wiggins Airways on its website describes itself as an all-cargo airline and lists the Beechcraft Model 99 as one of its planes.
Based in Manchester, Wiggins says it has operations throughout 12 US states.
The FAA said it and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate Friday’s crash.
Back in Manchester, Kitchens said Manchester Airport remained open and operational Friday morning, with no impacts to flight operations.
Kitchens said there was no reported property damage as a result of this crash.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)