A pilot was killed after a small aircraft crashed near a Rhode Island airport located just minutes from pop star Taylor Swift’s beachfront mansion, according to local authorities and reports.
The crash took place Monday near Westerly State Airport in Rhode Island, close to Watch Hill, the upscale coastal neighborhood where Swift owns an eight-bedroom holiday home.
What happened?
According to the New York Post, the single-engine Cessna 172 aircraft went down while attempting to land at the airport. Investigators believe the pilot may have been forced to alter course moments before the crash.
The wreckage was later found near the wooded edge of an open field across the road from the airport.
Witnesses in the area described hearing a loud impact shortly before emergency personnel arrived at the scene.
“It was the loudest bang I’ve ever heard in my life. I thought something fell off of a truck,” local resident Kerry Vacca told WPRI.
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Authorities said weather conditions were calm and visibility was clear at the time of the incident.
Who was the pilot?
Reports identified the victim as a certified flight instructor believed to be in his 20s. He was the only person onboard the plane.
Emergency responders transported him to Westerly Hospital after the crash, but he was later pronounced dead.
Officials have not publicly released the pilot’s identity.
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Investigation underway
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash.
Authorities have not yet confirmed what led to the incident or whether mechanical issues, pilot error, or another factor may have been involved.
According to reports cited by the New York Post, Monday’s crash marked the first fatal accident linked to Westerly State Airport since November 2003, when two planes collided midair near the airport.
The incident drew attention because of its proximity to Swift’s luxury Rhode Island property in Watch Hill. The area surrounding Swift’s mansion had also made headlines in 2025 after human remains were discovered on a nearby beach during a separate investigation.