FAA begins investigation of Pittsylvania Co. plane crash

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PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY (WSLS10) - State police have identified the pilot of the crashed twin-engine plane as Stephen C. Lloyd of Lexington, S.C.

Lloyd, another man, and that man's two children were flying from Charleston, S.C. to Baltimore, Md., according to state police

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Moments before the plane crashed at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Lloyd reported that the plane was starting to lose power and declared an emergency.

Rebecca Vaughn witnessed the crash and said that it sounded like a train coming through.

"I saw the plane just go behind the building and then the crash," Vaughn recalled.

Bob Collie came out Monday to see the crash.

He has some flying experience and said because of the low power lines, homes nearby and all of the trees, he gives Lloyd a lot of credit for being able to get the plane down and keep everyone safe.

"As far as I'm concerned," said Collie, "to be able to land an aircraft in this particular environment, the pilot was very talented. He did the best thing for the crew; the people on board."

The three passengers were not hurt and Lloyd only suffered minor injuries.

"Other people were dealing with the pilot and the father, making sure they were okay, so I was just with the kids making sure they weren't cold or anything like that," Vaughn explained.

The FAA investigators would not speak on camera Monday, but said that a salvage company will pick up the plane and then the regional National Transportation and Safety Board office will decide where they want the plane to be taken so that the NTSB can conduct an investigation.

As of Monday afternoon, neither state police nor the FAA or NTSB had released the names of the father and two children on the plane.