Lucky break school was out. Imagine, a "strong wind" caused this crash.
Unbelievable.



A day earlier, plane incident could have been a tragedy
By LORNA COLQUHOUN
Union Leader Correspondent



HAVERHILL – Even if there had been a baseball game in progress late
Saturday morning, what came over the outfield could not have been more
surprising.

"There were about a dozen members of the baseball team who were prepping
the infield when a plane came low over the outfield," said school
principal Brent Walker, who got to the field at about the same time as
local emergency squads.

The plane, a 1946 Aeronca that had taken off a few moments before at the
Dean Memorial Airport, eventually came to rest near the playground. The
pilot, Keith Merrick, 60, of Post Mills, Vt., and his passenger, Randall
Trask, 58, of Randolph, Vt., were not injured, nor was anyone on the
ground.

Saturday was the first day of the April vacation for local students. Had
it happened at the same time the previous day, Walker said, there would
have been children playing on the swings.

"We're just glad no one was injured," he said.

Haverhill police Chief Jeff Williams said the boys were working on the
infield, getting it ready for the season, when the plane came over the
outfield, clipping a stop sign at the intersection of Airport Drive.

"It caught the left wing and came to rest on the playground," he said.
"Fortunately, no one was on the playground."

According to police reports, the two-seat plane, owned by the Upper Valley
Flying Club in Meriden, took off at about 11:40 a.m. from the airport,
which is located less than a mile from the middle school.

Initial indications are that a strong wind prevented the plane from
gaining altitude; the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.