2 injured in plane crash near Knightdale airport, authorities say
Two people were injured in a small plane crash Wednesday near Raleigh East Airport in Knightdale, local officials said.
A two-seat aircraft went down on Three Sisters Road — which runs parallel to the airport — just before 3 p.m., Knightdale Fire Department Battalion Chief William Boggs said at a news conference Wednesday.
Two passengers were on board the aircraft and were conscious and alert before first responders transferred them to WakeMed for treatment, according to ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner.
Boggs said both passengers are expected to recover.
“With an airplane crash, you don’t know what you’re dealing with,” Boggs told reporters Wednesday. “It could be a big one, or it could be a small one like we had today. But we have to prepare for the worst.”
Boggs said the plane — a Cheetah lightweight aircraft — landed face-down in a clearing just beyond the airport and sustained heavy damage to its wings and cockpit. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, he said.
The aircraft took off near Apex earlier Wednesday afternoon and was last seen in Smithfield just before 2:15 p.m., according to Flightaware.com.
Boggs said first responders were beginning to clear the scene just before 4 p.m. as the N.C. Highway Patrol remained on-scene.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 5:04 PM.
