Skip to content
NOWCAST NewsCenter 5 at 7
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Provincetown Cape Air plane crash survivor describes ordeal: 'Burst into flames'

Provincetown Cape Air plane crash survivor describes ordeal: 'Burst into flames'
NOT GET HER SEATBELT UNBUCKLED. >> ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE JUST HIT THE GROUND. MY SEATBELT WOULD NOT LEMET OUT. SO I REMOVED THE SEAT AND TURNED AROUND ANDSE UD IT LIKE A SHIELD FROM THE FLAMES. JOHN: SHE WAS TERRIFIEDFT AER CRASHING INTO -- >> I CANNOT SEATBELT OUT AND EVERYONE WAS GONE, SO I WAS LIKE, EASEPL UNLOCK THE SEATBELT. JOHN: SHE ALONG WITH FIVE OTHER PASSENGERS ESCAPED THOSE PLANES, BUT -- THOSE FLAMES, BUT MANY SUFFERED CUTS AND BURNS. >> I GOT A LOT OF BURNS ON MY LOWER LEGS, AND MY HANDS ARE ALL BURNED. THE PLANE SPLIT AND BLEW UP, SO NO AIRBAGS. IT WAS A LITTLE MORE VIOLENT THAN THAT. JOHN: STRONG WINDS WERE MOVGIN THROUGH THE AREA AT THE TIME, BUT AUTUMN DID NOT FEEL ANY TURBULENCE. THIS CANCER SURVIVOR SAID SHE IS BEYOND RATE FULL TO HEAV LIVED DURING SUCH A HARROWING BRUSH WITH DEATH. >> THAT’ALS L I WANT TO DO, HUG MY HUSBAND, HUMYG CHILD. I JUST THOUGHTOR F SURE THAT I WAS GOING TO DIE THERE. JOHN: AUMUTN PRETTY SHAKEN, BUT SO THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE. THE OTHERS ON THE PLANE ALSO SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. SO AMAZING THAT THEY WERE ALL ABLE TO WALK
Advertisement
Provincetown Cape Air plane crash survivor describes ordeal: 'Burst into flames'
A Cape Air flight carrying a total of seven people skidded off the runway and crashed into a wooded area near Provincetown Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon. The flight "traveling from Boston Logan International to Provincetown Airport plane exited the runway," a statement from Cape Air said. Six passengers and the pilot were on board the flight, the statement said. The FAA said the twin-engine Cessna 402 went off the end of the runway while attempting to land at Provincetown Municipal Airport around 4 p.m. Thursday. "The FAA and NTSB will investigate," the FAA said. The FAA identified the Cape Air flight as 345, while Cape Air identified the flight as 2072. "I'm still scared and still really shocked, just in shock," Autumn Kerr, a passenger on the flight said.Kerr spoke outside Cape Cod Hospital Thursday night following the crash. She said she suffered second-degree burns to parts of her body."I’ve got a lot of burns on legs and hands are all burned," Kerr said. Kerr told WCVB's John Atwater the plane was attempting to land, but ran into trouble."We were obviously not going to land and picked back up," Kerr said.She describes the terrifying moments that followed. "All of a sudden, we just hit the ground in the trees and burst into flames in the front, and then the right side bursts in the flames," Kerr said. She said people then started to go out of the back of the plane, but she struggled to get her seatbelt off."I ripped the seat out and turned it around to use it like a shield from the flames," Kerr said.Kerr said the pilot helped get her out of the seat, even as she was trying to escape from the plane while still buckled to it. She found her way to an exit to escape as flames spread."I just jumped out and rolled and crawled away, and then took off. Unbelievable," Kerr said.Kerr said a friend she was traveling with remained at a Cape Cod hospital Thursday night for treatment.Town Manager Alex Morse said that the weather caused the crash at the airport on the tip of Cape Cod."Thankfully, it wasn't a high impact crash, and there are no fatalities," Morse said.Kerr said despite the rough weather in the area, she felt no turbulence on the flight from Logan Airport to the small airport located adjacent to Race Point Beach. Photos from the scene posted to social media show a small plane in the trees off Race Point Road near the Provincetown airport runway. Cape Air said all six passengers and the pilot were transferred by ambulance to Cape Cod Hospital. The airline said anyone who believed that they may have loved ones onboard should call their Family Assistance Number at 888-253-4115.

A Cape Air flight carrying a total of seven people skidded off the runway and crashed into a wooded area near Provincetown Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The flight "traveling from Boston Logan International to Provincetown Airport plane exited the runway," a statement from Cape Air said.

Advertisement

Six passengers and the pilot were on board the flight, the statement said.

cape cod cape air plane crash debris
Twitter/PVDCanteen

The FAA said the twin-engine Cessna 402 went off the end of the runway while attempting to land at Provincetown Municipal Airport around 4 p.m. Thursday. "The FAA and NTSB will investigate," the FAA said.

The FAA identified the Cape Air flight as 345, while Cape Air identified the flight as 2072.

"I'm still scared and still really shocked, just in shock," Autumn Kerr, a passenger on the flight said.

Kerr spoke outside Cape Cod Hospital Thursday night following the crash. She said she suffered second-degree burns to parts of her body.

"I’ve got a lot of burns on legs and hands are all burned," Kerr said.

Kerr told WCVB's John Atwater the plane was attempting to land, but ran into trouble.

"We were obviously not going to land and picked back up," Kerr said.

a photo of fire trucks at the scene of a cape air plane crash near provincetown airport
WCVB/Stringer

She describes the terrifying moments that followed.

"All of a sudden, we just hit the ground in the trees and burst into flames in the front, and then the right side bursts in the flames," Kerr said.

She said people then started to go out of the back of the plane, but she struggled to get her seatbelt off.

"I ripped the seat out and turned it around to use it like a shield from the flames," Kerr said.

Kerr said the pilot helped get her out of the seat, even as she was trying to escape from the plane while still buckled to it.

She found her way to an exit to escape as flames spread.

"I just jumped out and rolled and crawled away, and then took off. Unbelievable," Kerr said.

Kerr said a friend she was traveling with remained at a Cape Cod hospital Thursday night for treatment.

Town Manager Alex Morse said that the weather caused the crash at the airport on the tip of Cape Cod.

"Thankfully, it wasn't a high impact crash, and there are no fatalities," Morse said.

Kerr said despite the rough weather in the area, she felt no turbulence on the flight from Logan Airport to the small airport located adjacent to Race Point Beach.

a photo of fire trucks at the scene of a cape air plane crash near provincetown airport
WCVB/Stringer

Photos from the scene posted to social media show a small plane in the trees off Race Point Road near the Provincetown airport runway.

Cape Air said all six passengers and the pilot were transferred by ambulance to Cape Cod Hospital. The airline said anyone who believed that they may have loved ones onboard should call their Family Assistance Number at 888-253-4115.