North Carolina

Officials: Plane picking up banner crashes in Dare Co., killing pilot

DARE COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) -- A pilot whose plane crashed Wednesday morning near the Dare County Regional Airport has been identified by officials as 35-year-old Daniel Morgan Lane of Kill Devil Hills.
The Dare County Sheriff's Office confirmed to WAVY.com deputies responded to the crash, which is in a wooded area off Airport Road, shortly after 10:30 a.m.
Sgt. Michael Baker with North Carolina Highway Patrol said the plane touched down to pick up an advertisement banner and the banner got tangled in the trees on takeoff -- pulling the plane to the ground. 
The pilot was the only person on board the plane, Baker said.
Mark Tate, who works nearby, says he heard a “metallic boom” and looked outside his office to find the banner tangled in the trees. 
Tate says good Samaritans and first responders used machetes and other tools to reach the pilot.
“They couldn’t even find the plane for at least 10 minutes,” he said. “His buddies were running all around trying to yell, trying to find him.”
The Cessna 150J is registered to Outerbanks Seaplanes LLC. in Manteo, according to records filed with the Federal Aviation Administration. 
The North Carolina Highway Patrol says Lane worked for Island Aerial Advertising.
10 On Your Side is still working to get a response from both companies. 
Several other agencies, including the NTSB and FAA are also investigating.

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