Small Plane Crash Kills Pilot

A single-engine plane crashed Friday while attempting to land at Atlantic City International Airport, killing the only person on board, authorities said.

The Beechcraft Bonanza plunged into in densely wooded area and broke in half about one mile from the runway.

The plane took off from Columbia, S.C. with one person aboard, said Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. The victim's identity was not immediately released.

The airport control tower lost contact with the four-seat plane while it was on its landing approach, said FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker. The plane had been cleared to land, she said.

The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. in rainy, foggy weather. An hour later, the wreckage was still burning, sending up a plume of gray smoke.

Search and rescue workers in silver protective suits with hoods were working around the fuselage. The tail section was intact, but the rest of the plane was crumpled and blackened from the fire.

The plane's tail number was N256PR, according to the FAA. That plane, built in 1973, is registered to Ray's Aviation Inc. of Wilmington, Del.

Peters said the pilot registered a flight plan, although details were not immediately available.

The airport is located about 10 miles west of Atlantic City and handles a variety of air traffic, including commercial passenger aircraft, military fighter jets and small private planes.

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