Airplane Went Down Near Alma, GA Thursday

There are so many questions to be answered as this accident is investigated, including why there were five people aboard an airplane that only has seats for four.

Fox News reports that five people were fatally injured Thursday when the Vans RV-10 airplane they were aboard went down in a wooded area near Alma, GA about 100 miles southwest of Savannah. The wreckage of the airplane was reportedly scattered across a broad area not far from an airport.

Bacon County (GA) coroner Vic Peacock said "we don't have an intact plane." He said the debris was scattered over an area of the pine forest that measured about 300 feet in diameter. "It just disintegrated, basically," he said.

Peacock said that there were four men and a woman aboard the plane. They had all been friends for some time. FAA records indicated the owner of the RV-10 was Waylon Boatright of Alma, GA. Fox reported that he was a local farmer. It was believed he was the pilot of the aircraft.

The others on board were Drayden Sears, 24; Logan Tomberlin, 23; Ethan Hampton, 23; and Angel Wade, 20. All were from Alma. Peacock said that many of them had been classmates in school.

Officials say they believe the plane took off from the Bacon County airport (KAMG) at about 2:30 a.m., and impacted terrain shortly after takeoff.

(RV-10 pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov