PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — A 76-year-old Delaware man died Thursday when his small plane crashed into a home shortly after takeoff from an airport in southern Ohio, authorities said.
Kurt W. Paulus was piloting a 2006 Cirrus SR20 single-engine aircraft that departed from the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport around 10:46 a.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The plane was in its initial climb when it went down on the south side of Bennett School House Road near the airport in Harrison Township, Scioto County.
Paulus died at the scene from his injuries. Two people inside the residence were uninjured, but the home caught fire and was destroyed, the patrol said.
Deputies from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office and troopers responded to the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified and will investigate separately.
The patrol was assisted at the scene by the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, Minford Fire Department & EMS, Columbus Division of Police, Scioto County Emergency Management Agency, FAA, NTSB and The Salvation Army. The crash remained under investigation Thursday.
Paulus’ intended destination was Delaware, Ohio, according to the preliminary investigation.