By: Richard L. Smith
Authorities are investigating a tragic plane crash that claimed the life of a Lawrenceville man after a single-engine aircraft went down in a wooded area of Franklin Township on Saturday morning.
According to Franklin Township police officials, emergency responders were dispatched around 11:26 a.m. on March 30, following an alert from air traffic control reporting a loss of contact with a plane last seen near South Middlebush Road and Jacques Lane.
The New Jersey State Police immediately launched an aerial search, and the Millstone Valley Fire Department assisted by deploying a drone.
Around 1:22 p.m., new information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) led search crews to the crash site near South Middlebush Lane and Hilltop Lane, within the boundaries of Six Mile Run State Park.
Emergency personnel confirmed the death of the pilot, identified as Pankaj Mohan, 61, of Lawrenceville, NJ.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. Mohan during this incredibly difficult time,” said Franklin Township Public Safety Director Quovella M. Maeweather.
The investigation is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), with support from the FAA, New Jersey State Park Police, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner.
Anyone with information regarding the crash is urged to contact Detective William Poling at 732-873-5533.