Only Minor Injuries Reported

Both pilots survived a midair collision of their planes and subsequent crashes Saturday morning near Plymouth, NC with only minor injuries.

According to authorities, initial reports indicate that the two planes clipped each other in the air, WITN of Washington, NC reported. One plane crashed in the Liverman Heights area of Plymouth in a backyard, and the other plane crashed into the Roanoke River near Plymouth.

Washington County Emergency Management identified Walter Buzby from Washington, NC, as the owner and pilot of a single-engine Piper that crashed in a backyard.

The 1979 Piper PA32 Dakota (type shown at right) came to rest dangling from some trees, about 100 yards away from a house. Buzby was rescued from his upside-down perch and transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released Saturday afternoon.

The other pilot was identified as Billy Thompson of Plymouth, NC. Divers are expected to return Monday to locate Thompson's plane, a Piper PA28, reportedly still in the Roanoke River. Thompson was reported to have been treated at the scene.

The FAA is expected to resume investigations into the cause of the incident on Monday.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 2139N        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 11/01/2008     Time: 1330

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: Y    Missing:
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: PLYMOUTH   State: NC   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N3568W, A PIPER PA 32 AIRCRAFT WHILE INBOUND, STRUCK ANOTHER AIRCRAFT,
  N2139N, A PIPER PA28, N3568W LANDED IN THE RIVER AND N2139N LANDED AND WENT
   INTO THE TREES, INJURIES ARE UNKNOWN AND DAMAGE IS UNKNOWN, NEAR PLYMOUTH,
  NC

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   1
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: VFR

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: Other

  FAA FSDO: GREENSBORO, NC  (SO05)                Entry date: 11/03/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov