Authorities in Alabama are scratching their heads after a small plane crashed, and the pilot and passenger are seemingly missing at the crash site.
The incident happened in Baldwin County, just east of Mobile, where a Cessna 182 aircraft reportedly crashed into a field and flipped upside down sometime on the evening of Thursday, June 26, 2025. First responders found no one inside and accessed the crash site on Friday morning.
According to local news reports, the Elberta Volunteer Fire Department got the call around 10 a.m. on Friday, June 27. By the time they got to the crash site at the corner of Gardner Road and County Road 95, the two-seater, one engine aircraft was empty, with broken glass and blood found in the cockpit.
“It was flipped upside down and the occupants were no longer there,” said Baldwin County Emergency Management Director Tom Tyler. “They apparently had walked away and were transported somewhere.”
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Photos from the scene show a badly damaged wing and tire marks leading away from the crash site, suggesting someone managed to escape. But despite efforts, no one has been able to contact the plane’s registered owner or confirm the identity of the missing pilot.
Officials also confirmed the aircraft had about 50 gallons of fuel onboard, but there were no signs of leaking or spilled oil.
Partial data from FlightRadar24, obtained by NBC, showed the aircraft circling the Orange Beach area, a coastal city in Baldwin County, before heading north. After that, no further information was available about its flight path.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to visit the crash site on June 30 as part of an ongoing investigation.
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