A small plane crash in Sussex Borough, Sussex County, is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The single-engine Champion Citabria crashed into a group of trees on East Main Street near the Alpine Village apartments around 7 p.m. on Tuesday (August 27). The pilot, who was the only person on board, survived the crash with minor injuries.
According to Sussex Fire Marshal Virgil R. Rome Jr., the plane ran out of fuel before it crashed. The pilot suffered a head laceration, but it was not serious. Sussex Mayor Robert Holowach commended the pilot for avoiding any structures or power lines during the crash. "We are keeping the pilot and his family in our prayers as this could have been far worse," Holowach said in an email to the New Jersey Herald.
The Sussex Fire Department responded to the scene and secured the area for the investigation. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are handling the investigation. No further details have been released at this time.