ORANGE CO. — A massive overnight search and rescue operation successfully located a single-engine plane that crashed in a heavily wooded area, finding the pilot alive with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Indiana State Police (ISP) received a call around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5, from the Louisville Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding a possible downed aircraft near the Orange County and Lawrence County line.
The crashed aircraft was identified as a Lancair fixed-wing, single-engine plane. Troopers from the Jasper and Bloomington Districts, along with a coordinated response from multiple local first responders, launched an immediate search into the night across the densely forested and hilly terrain.
At approximately 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning, the aircraft was finally located in a heavily wooded area of Orange County near Old Vincennes Road. The pilot was found inside the plane with non-life-threatening injuries.
Due to the remote location, dense woods, and challenging hills, the rescue crew had to carry the pilot out of the crash site using a stretcher. Authorities credited the rescue to the coordinated effort of all agencies involved.
The following agencies were listed as first responders involved in the operation:
- Indiana State Police (Troopers Noah Ewing, Sam Wagner, Mackenzi Alexander, Blake Leary, and Logan McDowell)
- Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and Fire Department
- Martin County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and Fire Department
- Orange County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and Fire Department
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been officially notified and will take over the investigation into the cause of the crash.
