Pilot unharmed after plane crashes into Falmouth woods

FALMOUTH, Mass. (WHDH) – A lone pilot was coming in for a landing when his plane veered of course, crashing into a wooded area in Falmouth on Friday.

The plane never reached the runway and never really reached the ground. The single-engine plane came to a sudden stop in a wooded area, less than a quarter mile from the Falmouth Airpark.

Only the pilot was on board. He climbed down from the cockpit with barely a scratch on him.

Gary Ellis, who lives close to the runway, saw the plane attempt to land just before noon. He said everything looked and sounded normal.

“He wasn’t too low or anything like that but it sounded like the engine kicked out after he got to that area,” Ellis said.

The small plane then disappeared into the woods behind Ellis’ home. He said the sound of the crash wasn't even that loud.

“It sounded like a dump truck tipped over,” Ellis said.

The plane was slightly damaged and was still sitting in a fairly precarious position -- one wing nearly touching the ground, on Friday evening.

7News was told the pilot walked away virtually unharmed with just a scratch on his hand, and nothing more.

The pilot was taken to the hospital and was released.

The FAA is investigating the cause of the crash.

Copyright (c) 2012 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)