Authorities in Merrimac believe a motorist who reported a small airplane crash into woods Monday off Interstate 495 actually saw a remote-controlled model airplane.
At about 3:10 p.m., Monday, police received a 911 call from a woman who stated that as she was heading south on Interstate 495, between exits 53 and 54, she observed an airplane “fall from the sky into the woods.”
“This was a concerted effort between multiple agencies,” Merrimac Police Chief Eric M. Shears said. “The reporting party did the right thing by notifying police. We always encourage residents to call 911 if they feel there’s an emergency.”
Police and fire departments from Merrimac and Amesbury, as well as a Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, conducted a thorough search of wooded areas off Interstate 495, according to Shears.
Authorities responded to the area between Broad Street in Merrimac to Pond Hill Road in Amesbury and Route 110. However, an Amesbury fire official reported that several days earlier he had observed a remote controlled plane that matched the description of the one called in by the motorist in the same area. After searching all plausible areas on the ground, Shears called off the state police air wing, deeming the incident unfounded pending further information. Merrimac police also received no reports of any aircraft missing from airports in the area.
Didn’t anyone contact the Lawrence Airport air traffic control before sending out all those responders?