Two people lost their lives in a tragic plane crash near Lake Hickory on Sunday morning, confirmation coming from Hickory authorities at 4 p.m. The identities of the victims are being withheld for now as authorities investigate the cause of the accident.
The incident began when fire crews in Hickory responded to reports of an aircraft striking high-tension power lines and cutting off electricity to several areas to the north of Downtown Hickory. Fire departments from Alexander, Caldwell and Catawba counties all hurried to the scene to help tackle the blaze.
No one knows why the crash happened, but the FAA is leading an investigation as we enter a period of mourning and reflection for the two victims. Our thoughts go out to their families and friends during this difficult time.
18,000 customers were plunged into darkness after the crash of two small planes occurred in the area, according to Duke Energy. After the unfortunate incident, Duke Energy was quick to respond and acted swiftly, switching customers to other lines so that power could be restored. Much to their surprise, all customers had access to electricity again by 1:30 p.m.
Roger Kerr was elated by the speedy response time. “When I saw what happened, I definitely thought it was going to be out for at least half a day,” he said, relieved by the power restoration.
The incident is currently being investigated by the FAA in order to determine the cause of the accident.