Victims Identified in Deadly Farmington Plane Crash [Updated]

Published On: September 3, 2021Categories: Government, Police/Fire
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Farmington Fire Department on the scene of a plane crash Thursday. The plane reportedly hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Photo credit: Ted Glanzer

[Updated, Sept. 3, 2021] Names of those who were killed in the crash of a small jet that had taken off from Robertson Airport in Plainville were released Friday by police.

Scene of the fiery crash of a small plane in Farmington on Sept. 2, 2021. According to police, the plane hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Courtesy of Uwe Hambrecht

By Ted Glanzer

FARMINGTON – A small jet plane crashed in Farmington Thursday morning, killing all on board, according to police.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, Farmington police confirmed that two pilots and two passengers died in the crash.

On Friday, police identified the pilots as William O’Leary, 55, of Bristol, and Mark Morrow, 57, of Danbury. The two passengers have been identified as Courtney Haviland, 33, and her husband William Shrauner, 32, of Boston, MA.

“Our hearts go out to the family members of the two pilots and the passengers on that plane,” said Farmington Police Lt. Tim McKenzie.

The small jet, which federal officials said was a Cessna Citation 560X, impacted the ground before striking the Trumpf building located at 111 Hyde Road, near the Plainville town line, shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday.

Remains are visible of a small plane that crashed in Farmington Thursday morning, with two pilots and two passengers killed in the incident. Photo credit: Ted Glanzer

The plane crashed shortly after taking off from Robertson Airport in Plainville.

McKenzie said witnesses reported the jet having difficulty shortly after takeoff.

A fire at the building was reported at 9:52 a.m. and the plane was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived, McKenzie said.

Scene of the fiery crash of a small plane in Farmington on Sept. 2, 2021. According to police, the plane hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Courtesy photo

Firefighters from Farmington and Plainville responded, along with multiple other agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Drones and helicopters have been asked to keep a 4-mile radius from the scene.

The building was evacuated and debris and the charred wreckage of the plane littered the grassy campus at Trumpf as employees in the corporate office park looked on.

All Trumpf employees have been accounted for, McKenzie said. The company later said that two employees had sustained injuries, but did not provide any further details.

The plane, a business jet, was headed to Dare County Regional Airport in Manteo, NC, with four people on board, according to an FAA spokesperson.

The Farmington Police Department is assisting the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board with the investigation of the crash in Farmington. Investigators are expected to be on scene through the weekend.

Scene of the fiery crash of a small plane in Farmington on Sept. 2, 2021. According to police, the plane hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Courtesy of Uwe Hambrecht

Scene of the fiery crash of a small plane in Farmington on Sept. 2, 2021. According to police, the plane hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Courtesy of Uwe Hambrecht

Scene of the fiery crash of a small plane in Farmington on Sept. 2, 2021. According to police, the plane hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Courtesy photo

Scene of the fiery crash of a small plane in Farmington on Sept. 2, 2021. According to police, the plane hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Courtesy photo

Remnants of a small plane remain after it crashed and then hit the Trumpf Inc. building in Farmington.. Courtesy photo

Farmington Fire Department on the scene of a plane crash Thursday. The plane reportedly hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Photo credit: Ted Glanzer

Farmington Fire Department on the scene of a plane crash Thursday. The plane reportedly hit the ground and then struck the Trumpf building on Hyde Road. Photo credit: Ted Glanzer

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