EASTON, MD - The Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have confirmed to WBOC a plane has crashed near Easton Tuesday morning.
The FAA says a twin-engine Cessna 402 crashed into the Tred Avon River around 9:30 a.m. on July 16th after the pilot reported engine failure. The pilot was the only person on board, according to the FAA.
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Maryland State Police confirmed the pilot of the plane has died. Around 6pm Tuesday evening, Maryland State Police identified the pilot as 56-year-old Robert Eugene Merlini of Annapolis, Maryland.
First responders from Maryland's Department of Natural Resources as well as the Coast Guard were on the scene Tuesday, along with an Anne Arundel Dive team.
Maryland State Police say the Cessna took off just before 9 a.m. from the Tipton Airport in Fort Meade. Investigators say they believe the plane was headed towards Easton when the crash occurred.
Chopper 16 and WBOC’s Lauren Miller were on the scene of the crash. This article will be updated as more details become available.
