Teamwork praised after Plane Crash in OC

Several departments successfully working together minimized damage and injury after a small airplane crashed Tuesday afternoon near Walhalla. Oconee County Fire Chief Charlie King credits great teamwork handling the incident. “Following the report of the plane crash, dispatch initiated a response of fire departments, rescue EMS and Special Rescue Teams, technical rescue folks. They responded to the call and worked hand in hand together to both treat the patients and extract them from the wooded area up to a place. Crews worked to safely coordinate and land two helicopters to transport them. Then they kept the scene secure for an investigation into the cause of the crash. So, absolutely a team effort from law enforcement, fire departments and medical responders.” Chief King said 42 people were involved in the incident either on scene or in support positions. Tuesday afternoon’s plane crash was the first in Oconee County for Chief King. “It is the first plane crash in my tenure in four years of being here as Fire Chief but there have been other small airplane crashes here in the county before. One on that site within the past ten years, but typically it is very rare for an airplane crash here in the county due to the low frequency of flights that come through the county.” The crash happened near Just Aircraft, a plane manufacturing company on Duck Pond Road. Two passengers were aboard the plane. They were airlifted to Greenville Memorial Hospital. Chief King said both were talking and alert, but he did not know the extent of their injuries.