Small Plane Crashes; Pilot Seriously Injured

No one else was on board the Cirrus SR-22 single-engine plane and no one on the ground was injured in the crash, which was reported about 9:40 a.m., said Lt. David Waltemeyer, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County police department.

The pilot appeared to be attempting to land when the plane struck trees and crashed south of Lee Airport, Waltemeyer said.

Airport operator Dan Lee said the four-seat plane took off from Ocean City, N.J. The pilot had filed an instrument flight plan but canceled the plan about three miles out because he could see the airport, Lee said.

The pilot was found unconscious suffering from head trauma and was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, said Lt. Frank Fennell of the Anne Arundel County fire department.

The plane crashed in a soybean field a few hundred feet from the end of the runway, Fennell said.

Arlene Murray, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said an investigation was underway into the crash of the plane registered to Dilks Aircrafts LLC, of Marco Island, Fla.

Donald Dilks told The Annapolis Capitol that he believed the pilot was his brother, Ralph Dilks, 65. Donald Dilks said he planned to meet his brother, who has been flying for more than 30 years, at the airport and they planned to fly to Ocean City, N.J. for lunch with their mother.

Gwen Brewster, who lives next to the airport, said she knew something was wrong when she heard a 'throaty and raspy and very loud' noise that sounded like a boat in neutral.

(Copyright 2006 by WTOP and The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)