79-year-old pilot survives Virginia plane crash

FREDERICKSBURG,Va. - A 79-year-old Fredericksburg man was seriously injured after his plane crashed in Fauquier County on Thursday afternoon, according to Virginia State Police.

State Police responded to the crash at approximately 3:27 p.m. on the 14500 block of Spring Mill Road. The pilot, who was the only person on board, attempted to make an emergency landing in a field when his single-engine Cessna aircraft collided with several trees, authorities said.

The pilot sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Fairfax Inova Hospital for treatment. No one on the ground was injured in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and are investigating the incident.

The investigation is ongoing, according to Sgt. Brent W. Coffey, Public Information Officer for the Virginia State Police Culpeper Division.