Student Pilot Survived When Airplane Went Down In George Washington National Forest

A student pilot aboard a Cessna 172 on a training flight survived when the aircraft went down in a remote area of George Washington National Forest Sunday.

The Associated Press reports that, according to a news release from the Virginia State Police, the airplane went down Sunday morning, and the accident resulted in the death of one of the people on board. George Washington National Forest is in Rockingham County, VA.

The National Capital Wing of the Civil Air Patrol posted on their Facebook page that the flight instructor who was fatally injured was CAP Major Bernhard Charlemagne. The CAP said the student's injuries were non-life-threatening, and that Major Charlemagne survived long enough to show the student how to use a signalling device to get the attention of SAR crews.

NATCAPWG said that Maj. Charlemagne had been a long time member of the CAP wing, and had "quietly supported our programs for many years."

The name of the student has not been released.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov