WESTERLY, RI — A single-engine aircraft crashed in a field near Westerly State Airport on May 18, 2026, killing the pilot.
The Westerly Police Department received reports of the crash at approximately 12:03 p.m. in the vicinity of Airport Road.
Responding officers located a Cessna 172N Skyhawk, registration N733CP, that had gone down in a field.
The pilot was found to be the sole occupant on board.
Personnel from the Westerly Police Department, Westerly Fire Department, and Westerly Ambulance Corps administered lifesaving measures before the pilot was transported to Westerly Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
The pilot has been identified as Isaac Seekell, 21, of Charlestown.
No additional injuries were reported, and no structures on the ground sustained damage.
Airport Road was temporarily closed during the emergency response and was reopened shortly thereafter.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified and have assumed responsibility for investigating the cause of the crash.
The Westerly Police Department, Westerly Fire Department, and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation will continue to assist federal authorities and maintain site security until investigative operations are complete.
