Fort Mill SC pilot killed in Friday plane crash in Rock Hill. Feds investigating
A pilot from Fort Mill was killed Friday night in a plane crash in Rock Hill, officials said.
York County Coroner Sabrina Gast said Robert Prestininzi, 49, died in the crash. Autopsy and toxicology tests are pending.
Federal Aviation Administration officials and National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson told The Herald Saturday the pilot was the only person on the plane.
The plane crashed nose-first but the cause of the crash remains unclear, Knudson said.
No structures or people were hit on the ground, Knudson said.
The crash was in a wooded area near Heckle Boulevard and Friedheim Road, Rock Hill and federal officials said.
NTSB: Plane circled Rock Hill area before crash
The plane’s flight track, analyzed by the NTSB, showed it circled the Rock Hill area before the crash, Knudson said.
The plane was a Piper PA-30 twin engine aircraft, Knudson said.
The plane was en route from LaGrange, Georgia, to the Rock Hill/York County airport near S.C. 161 when it crashed, according to Knudson and a statement from the FAA. LaGrange is southwest of Atlanta near the Alabama state line.
Investigators from the FAA and NTSB were on the scene of the crash Saturday, city of Rock Hill spokesperson Katie Quinn and federal authorities said.
Cause of crash under investigation
The plane is expected to be recovered Sunday and taken to another location for further investigation, Knudson said.
A preliminary report could be done in a week or two, Knudson said. The full investigation into the crash could take a year or more, Knudson said.
Rock Hill Police Department Lt. Michael Chavis and Rock Hill Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Simmons said their departments responded to the crash site.
Neither the FAA nor NTSB identifies people involved in aircraft accidents.
York County Emergency Management director Chuck Haynes was aware of the crash but referred questions to the Rock Hill police and fire departments.
This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 10:12 PM with the headline "Fort Mill SC pilot killed in Friday plane crash in Rock Hill. Feds investigating."
