A pilot was trapped and seriously hurt after crashing a small banner plane in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Tuesday afternoon.
The aircraft crashed just before 3 p.m. at a small grass airfield off Steelmanville Road, according to the Egg Harbor Township Police.
Jason Flood, 20, of Franklinville, N.J. was at the controls when he crashed the fixed wing, single-engine aircraft, officials said.
He was reportedly trying to pick up an advertising banner at the field but missed. On his way back around he lost control or had a mechanical failure causing the plane to crash into dense brush, cops said.
There was extensive damage to the cockpit and Flood was trapped inside the Bellanca 8GCBC, authorities said.
After 40 minutes rescuers freed Flood by using the Jaws of Life. He was medivaced to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus in critical condition, according to officials.
Local law enforcement, Federal Aviation Administration investigators and the National Transportation Safety Board will be trying to figure out what caused the plane to crash.
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