Barnwell-bound small airplane crashes off Georgia coast

SAVANNAH, Ga. - A plane crashed off the coast of Wassaw Island, and it was apparently supposed to land in Barnwell.

The Coast Guard identified the plane as a Cirrus SR22 and said the search area is about 20 miles southeast of Wassaw.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the single-engine plane crashed in the ocean around 9 a.m. and only the pilot was onboard.

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Michael Chavous at the Barnwell airport said an SR22 – the type of plane that crashed – was supposed to come from Lexington to Barnwell around 9 a.m. but never arrived.

Flight tracking websites show that SR22 took off from Lexington, flew over Barnwell and then went in a straight line for several miles before dropping from the sky into the ocean off Wassaw.

Chavous said the plane belonged to Ed Farr, who he believes is from Lexington.

Chavous said Farr leased a hangar at the Barnwell airport and was a very experienced pilot and was a regular customer at Barnwell and bought his gas there.

Chavous said the SR22 is a state-of-the-art plane.

The FAA says the National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of the investigation into the crash.

A Coast Guard boat crew from Station Tybee and a helicopter from Air Station Savannah are searching for the missing plane. Good Samaritans are also joining the search.

The 165th Airlift Wing confirms the plane was not part of the Sentry Savannah military drills that have been taking off from Savannah and performing exercises along the coast this week.