1. Home
  2. North Carolina
  3. Wilmington, NC

Pilot Dillard M. Powell, 89, dies in small plane crash near Topsail Airpark in Pender County, North Carolina

Modified Date: 
Wed, 06/24/2015 - 5:52am
Accident Date: 
Sunday, June 21, 2015

Cary attorney killed in Pender plane crash

PENDER COUNTY -- A Cary attorney was killed Sunday when his single-engine plane crashed south of Topsail Airpark. Pender County Sheriff's Office deputies discovered Powell's plane in a heavily wooded area, near Holly Shelter Game Land, said Pender County Emergency Management Director Tom Collins. SABLE, the Wilmington Police Department's helicopter, assisted in locating the crashed plane and sheriff's deputies traveling on ATVs got to the crash site at 1:30 a.m., he said. The crash site was not far from U.S. 17. The sheriff's office, working with N.C. State Highway Patrol, was able to ping Dillards cellphone to the area near Holly Shelter, Collins said.

PHOTOS: Wreckage removed from deadly plane crash site

Sunday about a possible plane crash. SABLE spotted the plane's wreckage around 10:30 p.m., about a mile from the Topsail Air Park. Preliminary information revealed a plane took off from the Topsail Air Park around 3:30 p.m. State Highway Patrol officials say Dillard Powell, 89 of North Topsail Beach, died in the crash Sunday near Highway 17. Crews removed the wreckage from the crash site Tuesday evening.

Authorities identify man killed in Pender County plane crash

Donna Crowler, a family friend of Powell's, told WITN that Powell was a World War II pilot and that his plane was recently serviced.Crowler also says that Powell's wife planned to meet him at Albert J. Ellis Airport. Powell's wife waited overnight for him to arrive.
After a serious or fatal personal injury, take these steps to help the recovery process

When someone suffers a serious personal injury, the first days and weeks are spent getting medical treatment and dealing with the new reality of disability, pain, lost work, and disruption to normal life. When someone dies from their injuries, family members are forced to deal with grief, anger, and loss as they struggle to move forward.

After a serious or fatal personal injury, an injured person, or the family left behind, incur damages including the cost of current and future medical expenses, lost work and wages, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship. Go here to learn how to protect the rights of personal injury victims and their families.

Type: Aircraft Accident
Topics: 
Elderly Drivers
People Involved: 
Dillard M. Powell
Roadway: 
U.S. 17
County: 
Pender County, NC
Area: 
Wilmington, NC

Add new comment

More information about text formats
To prevent automated s-p-a-m submissions leave this field empty.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
3 + 9 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.