In a press statement, VSP said the incident occurred at
approximately 11:05 a.m. near Shannon Airport, located in Spotsylvania County.
The crash involved a single-engine aircraft that authorities have identified as
a Montana Coyote, bearing the registration number N448VQ.
The sole occupant of the aircraft has been identified as
78-year-old Rowland Babcock, Jr. According to VSP, Babcock succumbed to the
injuries he sustained during the impact. No other individuals were reported to
be on board the aircraft at the time of the crash, and no injuries were reported to anyone on the ground.
Preliminary reports indicate that the plane was returning to
the airport when the accident occurred. Flight tracking data from the aviation
insight platform FlightAware supports this, showing that the aircraft departed
from Shannon Airport and flew a loop that brought it back toward the
airfield.
The Aviation Safety Network, an independent organization
that tracks aviation accidents and safety issues, reported that the Montana Coyote was
destroyed upon impact with the terrain. According to their assessment, the
aircraft crashed during final approach to Runway 24 at Shannon
Airport.
State and federal authorities are now working to piece
together the sequence of events leading to the crash. Because the accident
involves an aircraft, the investigation falls under the purview of both the
Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety
Board. Both agencies have been formally notified of the incident.
Shannon Airport, located just south of Fredericksburg, is a
general aviation facility that serves a variety of private, recreational, and
instructional flights.
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