An Army reserve who served in the North Carolina National Guard was killed Wednesday after a twin-engine jet crashed into a tractor-trailer, igniting a minor fire.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Raymond John Ackley, 43, died at the scene. As per the Charlotte Observer, he joined the North Carolina National Guard in 2009 and served in Kuwait and Afghanistan. A representative for the National Guard said Ackley ‘served honourably’ and was well-respected by everybody who knew him.
A twin-engine Beechcraft Barron slammed into the tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 South near the Davidson County Airport in Lexington at roughly 5:35 pm, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Initial investigation suggested that the jet was taking off when it lost altitude and collided with a southbound tractor-trailer.
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Video footage of the crash site shows a section of I-85 is darkened with debris, as smoke billows into the sky. As officials worked the area, the tailpiece of the plane could be seen close to the overturned truck.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will examine the disaster, but no other information was provided. Officials reported the tractor-trailer driver was taken to a Winston-Salem hospital with minor injuries.
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