Turtle on Runway Possibly Led to Fatal North ‍Carolina Plane Crash

Updated June 21, 2025

MOCKSVILLE, N.C. – A preliminary ‍report by the National Transportation Safety Board suggests a turtle on the runway may have been a factor in a fatal plane crash near sugar Valley Airport in Mocksville, North Carolina, earlier this ‍month. The June 3 North‍ Carolina plane crash killed the pilot and one passenger; another passenger was seriously injured.

According to ⁤the NTSB report, a‍ communications operator in the airport office alerted the pilot of ‍the Universal stinson 108 to a turtle on the runway.⁣ The operator witnessed the⁢ plane land approximately 1,400 feet down the 2,424-foot runway. The pilot then reportedly raised the right main wheel in an attempt to avoid⁣ hitting the turtle.

The operator told investigators that she⁤ heard the pilot increase⁣ the throttle after ⁣lifting the wheel, but then lost sight of the aircraft.

A man mowing grass near the runway’s end reported seeing the plane’s right wheel lift to miss the turtle. he then saw the wings‍ rock before⁢ the plane briefly took‍ off again.⁤ Shortly ⁤after,he heard the crash and saw smoke rising from a‍ heavily wooded area.

The‍ plane went down approximately 255 feet from the⁤ runway, becoming wedged between trees and catching fire. The aircraft, save for some scattered fabric, remained largely ⁢intact. It came to rest on ⁢its left side, with the left wing folded underneath the fuselage⁣ and⁣ the right wing bent toward the⁤ tail.

NTSB preliminary reports contain factual information gathered at the scene but do not offer probable causes. Final reports, which can take up to two years to complete, will include analysis and a⁢ determination of cause.