Two Killed as Plane Crashes onto Massachusetts Highway During Morning Storm

A small private plane crashed onto Interstate 195 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, on Monday morning, killing two people and scattering flaming debris across the highway during rush hour.

Authorities identified the victims as 68-year-old Thomas Perkins and his wife, 66-year-old Agatha Perkins, both of Middletown, Rhode Island. The couple was found inside the wreckage and pronounced dead at the scene.

The Socata TBM 700 aircraft had taken off from New Bedford Regional Airport shortly after 8 a.m. and went down minutes later in the highway median. The crash ignited a massive fire that sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Debris was strewn across the grassy median and nearby woods.

A woman driving along I-195 was injured when part of the plane struck her Hyundai Sonata. She was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and Massachusetts State Police said the pilot did not file a flight plan. The aircraft was registered to Easton Air LLC of Middletown, Rhode Island. Officials believe the pilot may have been attempting to return to New Bedford Regional Airport after encountering severe weather.

At the time of the crash, a nor’easter was sweeping across southern New England, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 40 miles per hour. Aviation expert Tom Kinton said the conditions could have been a major factor. “The first thing you look at is the weather. Gusty wind, low visibility, and wind shear are critical for an aircraft of that size,” he said.