Officials Release More Info Surrounding Fatal May Plane Crash

John Miller Bofinger, a 66-year-old northern New Jersey resident, died when his Beechcraft 35 crashed into a cornfield and trees in rural North Carolina. He had taken off from Nocarva Airport in Macon, North Carolina, after originating his flight from the Oconee Regional Airport on May 21. The NTSB has issued a preliminary report and the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office released its findings. According to the medical examiner’s office, Bofinger had just cleared a row of 200-foot power lines and had flown approximately 200 feet when the plane lost altitude. It sheared off the tops of trees before hitting the ground and exploding, catching on fire. Witnesses heard the engine sputter and then a loud pop right before the crash. The cause of death was blunt force injuries and there were no suspicions of foul play, substance abuse, or suicide. The FAA is still investigating the crash.