Plymouth County District Attorney releases identity of pilot killed in crash as more details revealed

PLYMOUTH – Massachusetts State Police and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating a fatal small plane crash, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has announced.

At approximately 7:40 a.m. on Thursday, the Massachusetts State Police were notified of reports of a small plane crash in the area of Curlew Pond within Myles Standish State Park in Plymouth.

Responding personnel located a fixed-wing aircraft with the pilot, the sole occupant, entrapped inside. Members of Plymouth Fire Department and Plymouth EMS extricated the pilot, who was transported to a local hospital with injuries. At 8:56 a.m., the man was pronounced deceased. He has been identified as 81-year-old Richard Carrara of Kingston.

The emergency response included troopers from the Middleboro, Bourne, and Norwell barracks, the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Crime Scene Services, and the State Police Air Wing. Plymouth Police, Plymouth Fire Department, and Plymouth EMS also responded.

The FAA was notified, and responded to the scene.

Preliminarily, it appears that Carrara departed Plymouth Municipal Airport at 6:32 a.m. for Martha’s Vineyard, and was attempting to return to Plymouth when the crash occurred.

The cause and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.