CHEHALIS, Wash. — One person died after a small plane crashed in the Chehalis Collision auto repair parking lot on Tuesday night, according to authorities in Lewis County.
The parking lot is at 1050 Northwest Maryland Ave., just a few hundred feet from where the pilot took off at the Chehalis-Centralia Airport.
“There was just a really quick high pitch buzz, like someone red lining a motorcycle, and then just bang,” said Patrick Mackey, who lives near the crash scene. “I feel for the family. It’s terrible.”
Chehalis police said eyewitnesses reported the plane flying oddly after takeoff then suddenly dropping out of the sky. The fireball it created burned up three vehicles that had just been repaired at Chehalis Collision. When the fire faded, there were only pieces of the plane, plus one truck and two cars totaled.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will investigate the crash Wednesday. The owner of the auto repair shop said his surveillance system likely captured the crash.