Investigators begin combing area of aircraft collision in SC

By SUSANNE M. SCHAFER
Associated Press

MONCKS CORNER, SC (AP) — Federal investigators and local authorities are combing through a wide swath of rural, sparsely populated land as they try to determine what caused an F-16 fighter jet to slam into a small plane over South Carolina, killing the plane’s pilot and passenger.

The Cessna 150 was completely destroyed by Tuesday’s collision near Moncks Corner, South Carolina.

Berkeley County officials tweeted late Tuesday that Coroner Bill Salisbury will announce the names of the two victims Wednesday. An investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board is joining the investigation and the agency has scheduled a news conference Wednesday to discuss its initial findings.

A news release from Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter says the jet pilot ejected safely and parachuted to the ground.

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