HICKORY, N.C. -- TSB and FAA investigators are expected in Long View Wednesday morning to investigate why a plane went down near the Hickory Regional Airport.
The call came in just before 5:15 Tuesday evening. The FAA says a Beech BE-35 aircraft lost power on departure.
The single-engine plane crashed less than a mile from the runway into a tree, which sat in the yard of a house in Long View.
The FAA says four people were on board. All four passengers were treated by medic on scene and taken to area hospitals. The pilot was airlifted to CMC in Charlotte.
"I was amazed anyone walked away. Very emotional because I've seen plane wrecks before and they died," said Lisa Frazier.
Frazier spoke with the homeowner who called 911 to report the plane in was her yard.
"She said, she didn't hear anything until it crashed. She ran outside and saw that (plane) and saw the swing. She still has her home. There were no flames. They were all very lucky," Frazier said.
Cody Good's house sits across the street from where the plane went down. He says he felt his house shake upon impact.
"I looked outside and there was a plane down. I took off running over to see if I couldn't help him. They were all trying to crawl out. I helped them all get out of the plane and set them down on the driveway," he said.
Good says the pilot had visible trauma to his head, and the passengers suffered from broken bones.
Firefighters secured the wreckage and doused the plane with foam in case the plane was leaking any fumes of fuel.
"They wanted to be around to be prepared for that. There was some fuel. The person had just taken off from the Hickory Airport; I'm sure they had close to a full tank or so," said Terri Byers with the Hickory Fire Department.
Residents say a disaster may have been averted, but living near the runway-- this is their worst nightmare come true.
"We were so close. If that would have blown up, we are very lucky," said Frazier.
"I'm just glad everyone is alright. God was looking over them, that's for sure," said Good.
