A small plane crash on Interstate 195 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, on Monday, October 13, 2025, resulted in the deaths of two individuals on board and injuries to one person on the ground. The single-engine Socata TBM 700 aircraft, which departed from New Bedford Regional Airport, crashed onto the median of the highway around 8:15 AM local time (3:15 PM EAT) during a nor'easter that brought heavy rain and strong winds to the region.

Eyewitnesses and video footage from passing vehicles showed smoke billowing from scattered, blazing debris on the highway, which was subsequently closed in both directions near the crash site. The victims on board were identified as 68-year-old Thomas Perkins and his 66-year-old wife, Agatha Perkins, both from Middletown, Rhode Island. A woman whose car was struck by debris was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigation Underway Amidst Harsh Weather

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crash. Authorities, including the Massachusetts State Police, indicated that the plane might have been attempting to land at New Bedford Regional Airport. However, officials noted that the pilot did not appear to have filed a flight plan or provided details about passengers to the airport.

Weather conditions at the time of the crash were severe, with the National Weather Service reporting rain and winds between 48 to 64 kilometres per hour (30 to 40 mph). Such conditions can significantly reduce visibility and challenge even experienced pilots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could not immediately comment on the crash due to a government shutdown.

Broader Implications for Aviation Safety

This incident, while occurring internationally, resonates with ongoing discussions in Kenya regarding aviation safety standards and accident investigation protocols. Kenya has made significant strides in improving its aviation safety, achieving a 91.77 per cent score in the 2022 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) universal security audit, ranking it second in Africa. This marks an improvement from 68 per cent in 2008 and 88 per cent in 2015. The country also received a Category 1 rating from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2017, indicating compliance with international safety standards.

Despite these advancements, Kenya's air crash investigation capabilities have historically lagged, scoring 40 per cent in a 2017 ICAO audit. This highlights a need for continuous improvement in timely investigations, evidence preservation, and management of accident inquiries to ensure robust safety recommendations. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) publishes an Annual Safety Report detailing accidents and incidents, and has a toll-free line for reporting aviation occurrences.

Recent incidents in Kenya, such as the AMREF Flying Doctors air ambulance crash in Mwihoko, Kiambu County, on Thursday, August 7, 2025, which killed six people (four on board and two on the ground), underscore the critical importance of thorough investigations. In that incident, radio and radar contact with the Cessna Citation XLS was lost three minutes after takeoff from Wilson Airport.

What to Watch

The NTSB's investigation into the Massachusetts crash will be closely watched for its findings on the exact cause, particularly how adverse weather conditions and the absence of a filed flight plan may have contributed. For Kenya, this incident serves as a reminder of the continuous need to bolster accident investigation capabilities and ensure strict adherence to aviation protocols, especially concerning flight planning and weather assessments, to maintain and further improve its commendable safety record.