Apr 24, 2024 - News

UNC Health medical plane crashes at RDU International Airport

Zachery Eanes

Aerial view of Raleigh-Durham International Airport on April 27, 2022. Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images — Aerial view of Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Photo: Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

A UNC Health medical plane crashed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport Wednesday morning, shutting down air traffic and leaving two injured.

The latest: UNC Health confirmed on Wednesday that the plane was carrying Paul Chelminski, an internal medicine physician at UNC. Chelminski was returning from Wilmington, where he had given a lecture at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Both Chelminski and Art Johnson, the pilot, were injured in the crash.

Chelminski was transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and was discharged later in the afternoon.
Johnson was taken to Duke University Hospital in Durham, and remains there in fair condition, a UNC Health spokesperson said on Thursday. UNC said they are "optimistic" he will make a full recovery.

UNC Health said it is pausing its air operations, which include two other planes, and is working with federal investigators to analyze the crash.

A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration said the crash was caused by a failed landing, ABC11 reported.

Editor's note: This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.

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UNC Health medical plane crashes at RDU International Airport

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