STOW, Mass. — A neighborhood resident sprung into action when a small Cessna plane carrying three people crashed Sunday in a residential area near an airfield in Stow.
Around 1:06 p.m. Sunday, police received multiple 911 calls reporting a plane had crashed in the area of 181 Taylor Road.
Upon arrival, first responders found a Cessna airplane in a heavily wooded area along a home’s property line, near a children’s swing and trampoline. All three people on board suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.
No one was home at the time. The plane knocked down a tree, which grazed the house. Stow’s building inspector determined the damage was superficial, officials said.
One passenger was able to disembark from the plane and first responders removed the other two passengers.
A lazy Sunday afternoon for the Morancy family turned into the scare of a lifetime when a small plane crashed next to where their children were playing.
“We’ve never heard that before, a big boom and I think as soon as we ran out and saw leaves flying everywhere like somebody just shaved the tops off all the trees,” said neighbor Tye Morancy. “When I got there, there were people moaning and screaming.”
Morancy did everything he could to help them until the ambulance arrived.
“I could feel that fear,” Morancy said. “The seat belt has this person trapped and I’m just thinking about cutting it, moving it, breaking it, throwing it out of the way and then I heard the sirens and I couldn’t be more grateful for that sound.”
Emergency crews responded to Minute Man Airfield to secure a landing zone for medical helicopters. All three passengers were taken by ambulance to the landing zone and then taken to area hospitals. His condition was not known Sunday.
Investigators believe the plane had taken off from Minute Man Airfield. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the crash and will investigate further, officials said.
Because Stow has several airports, first responders regularly train at Minute Man Air Field on small aircraft response through the state Fire Department, officials said.
Officers from the Stow, Maynard and Boxborough Police Departments responded and assisted with patient care along with firefighters and paramedics.
In a statement Sunday night, Stow Fire Chief John Benoit and Stow Police Chief Michael Sallese said they “want to recognize the professional work of their departments at the scene.”
The FAA is cooperating with the crash investigation.
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