An Army reservist who served in the North Carolina National Guard
was killed Wednesday after a twin-engine plane crashed into a tractor-trailer, sparking a small fire.
Raymond John Ackley, 43, died at the scene, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said. He joined North Carolina National Guard in 2009 and served in Kuwait and Afghanistan, the Charlotte Observer reported.
A spokesman for the National Guard told Fox News that Ackley “served honorably” and was well-respected by all who knew whim.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a twin-engine Beechcraft Barron crashed into the tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 South, near the Davidson County Airport in Lexington at around 5:35 p.m.
Early reports indicate the plane was taking off from the airport when it lost altitude and crashed into the southbound tractor-trailer.
Video footage of the crash site shows a portion of I-85 blackened with debris as smoke billows up to the sky. The tail section of the aircraft was seen next to the overturned rig as officials worked the scene.
The FAA said it would investigate the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board, but provided no additional details.
News outlets report the driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to a Winston-Salem hospital for treatment of minor injuries, officials said.
