Turtle on Runway Possibly Led to​ Fatal North ‍Carolina Plane Crash

Updated June 21, 2025
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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.