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09/18/2017 12:00 AM

Two Dead in Guilford/North Branford Plane Crash


The North Branford Fire Department had a heavy presence at the site of a Sept. 16 plane crash on the Guilford-North Branford border. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound
Plane Carrying NASCAR Driver and Pilot Located on North Branford RWA Land

Guilford and North Branford rescuers responded to the scene of a fatal, single-engine plane crash on the Guilford-North Branford border on Sept. 16; the victims were subsequently identified as NASCAR modified championship racer Ted Christopher 59, and Charles Patrick Dundas, 81. The plane crash was first reported in woods off of West Street in North Guilford. First responders subsequently located it in a heavily wooded area in North Branford on Regional Water Authority (RWA) property, according to North Branford police.

"The original call came in to Guilford police and their police and fire responded; it was in a heavily wooded area; and at that point it was determined it was in our [jurisdiction] " said North Branford Police Lt. James Lovelace, who responded out to the scene with the South Central Regional Traffic Unit (SCRTU).

The regional unit's multi-town first responder membership responds to all fatal accidents within the region. Lt. Lovelace said the plane crash and two deceased men were located on North Branford land belonging to the RWA in the vicinity of Lake Gaillard.

The initial 911 call came in from a couple walking in the area. They initially heard a noise and came on the scene of the crash within an hour of the plane going down into the woods, said Lt. Lovelace.

"A far as I know of, to this date, there was no [distress] radio call that I'm aware of," Lt. Lovelace told Zip06/The Sound, speaking on Sept. 18.

On Sept. 16, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed both the pilot and the passenger died of injuries, at first only releasing the identity of the passenger as NASCAR modified champion driver Ted Christopher, 59.  On Sept. 17, North Branford police confirmed the identification of second fatality as 81 year-old Charles Patrick Dundas. Dundas had a Florida address out of Fort Pierce and multiple Long Island addresses, said Lt. Lovelace.

The plane, a Mooney M20, seats four but had just two aboard when it crashed at approximately 2 p.m. on Sept. 16.