FirstAlerts
Plane CrashesVersion 2

Pilot killed in small plane crash into Bristol harbor; cause under investigation

A small plane crashed into the harbor in Bristol, Massachusetts, killing the pilot; the cause is under investigation.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 20, 2026, 8:57 p.m. ETUpdated Aug 22, 2026, 1:53 a.m. ET
A small plane crashed into the harbor in , Massachusetts, on August 20, killing the pilot, according to reports from PenBay Pilot and Bangor Daily News. The date is reported as either 2023 or 2026, depending on the source. The aircraft was found upside down in about four feet of water. A second male passenger escaped and was transported to Miles Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Bangor Daily News. The aircraft type is reported as a small single-engine airplane by PenBay Pilot and as a by Bangor Daily News. The pilot, John Hall, was the registered owner of the plane, and the passenger was his 21-year-old son Tyler Hall, according to both outlets. The plane had taken off from Brunswick Executive Airport for Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head. Hall had received certification for the plane eight days before the crash, according to both outlets. The cause of the crash has not been determined. PenBay Pilot reports that investigators from the FAA and NTSB will determine the actual cause, while Bangor Daily News reports that a report from the FAA indicated The aircraft was removed from the water by a local marine barge and moved to a secure location. Weather observations recorded at New Bedford Regional Airport, about 8 miles away, around the time of the crash showed wind from 270 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, and a temperature of 79°F. These conditions are not being cited as a cause.

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Reference data

From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.

Terrain elevation
171 ft
Nearest aerodrome
7.3 miles SSW of Myricks Airport (1M8)

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 222 Aug 2026, 05:53current

    Updated to reflect conflicting reports on date, aircraft type, and cause status; added attribution for preliminary FAA report.

  2. Version 121 Aug 2026, 03:46

    First published.

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