Bennington, VT – The Federal Aviation Administration says the pilot of a small plane was killed when his aircraft hit a mountain near Bennington.
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FAA spokesman Jim Peters says the wreckage of the Cessna 172 was found by a hiker Monday morning. He says it will take investigators several hours to reach the crash site.
Peters says the plane departed Sunday from Greenwood Lake Airport in Milford, N.J., for what was expected to be two-hour flight. He did not know what time the plane took off.
Several eye witnesses reported seeing an airplane crash near the airport. Emergency personnel responded around 7:20 p.m. and set up a command post on Whipstock Road before relocating to the airport. Bennington Police Lt. Paul Doucette said one 911 call came from a female who said the plane circle four times before losing power. She said “it sounded like thunder” as the plane went down.
Police believe the plane may have been circling the airport trying to land the plane from the west side, rather than from the east. Such a move would be “nearly impossible,” according to police.
According to a local Vermont newspaper a becon that usually emits a circling light from the highest point on Whipstock Mountain behind the airport stopped working shortly before the reported crash, according to police. They said it is unclear if that may have played a role.
Crews searched into the night and then resumed the search on Monday morning.
Peters says the airplane was registered to Sky Training, LLC., of West Milford, N.J.
VIN News has learned that the Pilot has been identified as 58 year old Dr. Fred Chaim Weiss a prominent Psychologist from Spring Valley Monsey, NY.
Chesed Shel Emes [CSE] is en-route with family members to crash site, to help with ID Process, and help to prevent autopsy.
United States Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont has offered his assistance.
According to Albany Times Union Weiss was a prominent psychiatrist and worked for the Kiryas Joel Village Union Free School District in Monroe, Orange County, officials there confirmed.
The school’s superintendent was not immediately available for comment.
I probably know who it is. I know an elderly Orthodox doctor in Monsey who is a pilot, and regularly flies from that airport.
Gevald. Who is this Doctor?
OMG I almost don’t even want to hear more details!
#2 . There is more than one frum doctor from Monsey who flies out of Greenwood Lake Airport, a popular airport for small plane pilots in the area. From what I heard, the one who was nebach in the tragic accident has counseled many troubled children and couples in the community. I am not posting his name, since it’s seems that VIN is waiting for notification from the family.
Since the crash occurred shortly before 7:00, and a beacon on the mountain was out, he may have not seen the mountain in the dark. Maybe he was circling because he was having difficulty finding the airport in the dark in unfamiliar territory. (I know one pilot who never flies after dark to avoid such situations)
Despite what most people think, small plane crashes occur relatively infrequently. Meaning, while it is reported periodically in the news, considering the thousands of small planes taking off and landing throughout the U.S. every second, a small plane crash is considered rare. Obviously, the risk increases when someone lacks proper training or flies in bad weather, neither of which was the case here.
May we only hear good news. My heart goes out for the family.
Burech Dayan Hemes what a great Dr. and even a bigger mentsh he had a heart of gold and will greatly be missed
He was a Psychologist In The Kiryas Joel School District
The elderly orthodos doctor is someone ELSE. This guy was in his fifties.
So shocking!
I sat next to him in Shiur yesterday.
Baruch Dayan HaEmes
I’m all shaken up seems like this is Dr Chaim Weiss pyschologist from SV – I’ve gone to him in the past with my son – he was a real nice heimishe guy – never overcharged did his work with extreme devotion! One of the only Yiddish speaking therapists! will sure be a great loss for all of us! Baruch Dayan Emes We should only her besuros tovos
Do you have statistics? is a small plane safer than a car? more dangerous? by how much?
special man did a lot of good work behind the scenes for the families of kiryas yoel aside from a lot of probono work in monsey bd”e
there is an old statistic that people who smoke are dying more often in plane crashes.
He was a well respected member of the shaarei chemlah team in KJ. BDE.
Dr. Chaim Weiss A”H was a respected member of the frum mental health professional community. יהא זכרו ברוך.
Does anyone know who his children are married to?
its doesnt add up because shelucah mitzvah aynom nezakim it seems strange and
improper to where he was going here are his wife’s comments
“told his family Sunday that he was going for a short flight, Gauthier said. The family said they did not know why Weiss would have flown to Vermont. “
One son-in-law is Yisrael Frankel of Beitar.
He also has a son in Maalot Dafne.
These two days took me back to a few years ago when I lost a few of my friends in the helicopter crash at the Grand Canyon. What a horror for his poor family and friends to go through. We are still going through it all these years later. May Hashem grant them the strength and the courage to get through this together.
#16 Why do you automatically assume something improper ? Private pilots often rent planes to go on a pleasure flight. Sunday was a very nice day and with the seasons changing the scenery was beautiful so it was a perfect day to fly. It was only about 135 nautical miles which is about 1 hr away. It would be perfectly normal for a private pilot to rent a plane fly to airport an hour away, take a 1/2 rest/walk and fly home.
Baruch Dayan Emes. A wonderful man and a great asset to the frum mental health community.
My heart is broken!!! I can’t believe that Dr. Weiss is gone!!! So many kids at the KJUFSD benefited from his expertise and now all of a sudden he’s gone. His absence will be felt tremendously for he made a major impact in the lives of so many children. His kind personality and great knowledge will never be replaceable!!!
Have us in mind up there in Heaven! Beg for Moshiach! Don’t forget about your brothers with whom you were together up until now.
May he be a maylitz yoisher for all of us!!
#10 , While plane travel is safer than most people assume, it is still less safe than riding in a vehicle. For a detailed comparison, read http://www.crashstuff.com/driving-or-flying-plane-vs-car-accident-statistics/
The article provides lengthy explanations and comparisons and then concludes as follows:
Choosing “mile to mile” as the more appropriate comparison for differing modes of transportation (and overlooking that small planes often takeoff and land at the same airport, without ever really “going anywhere”), let’s review the fatality rates:
driving: 1.32 fatal accidents and 1.47 fatalities per 100 million miles
airlines: .05 fatal accidents and 1.57 fatalities per 100 million miles
GA: 7.46 fatal accidents and 13.1 fatalities per 100 million miles
So mile per mile, GA (General Aviation) flying has about 5 times as many fatal accidents, and 9 times as many fatalities, as compared to travel by motor vehicle. The airlines have about the same fatality rate as driving, but a much lower fatal accident rate (by virtue of a large number of fatalities per accident).
The Lubavitcher Rebbe was known to advise people never to fly in a “single engine” plane because there is no back-up in case of engine failure G-d forbid … Also, helicopters are not under the same stringent FAA safety standards as planes & the severe vibrations cause helicopters to “age” more quickly.
Hashem made a beautiful world, but we (and our families) must not take unnecessary risks.
This is a true loss for all of us.
In the same article, it refers to him as a psychologist and as a psychiatrist. These are 2 different entities – the former is a PhD, the latter is a medical doctor.
Dr Chaim Weiss was a dearest friend of mine and our families were extremely close. He was also my neighbor. He was an ehricher Yid both Bein Odom Lamokoim and Bein Odom Lechaveiro- in all areas. One doesn’t come across people of this calibre too often and I always said this when he was alive and well. I still cannot believe this happened to him. I am deeply pained. We should merit Moshiach very soon in our days.
BD”E.
its my sister in laws cousin,my heart goes out to the family members
He was a gem of a yid and will be sorely missed. BD’E
If you didn’t know this hidden Tzadik you surely missed out, he was a man with a heart of gold and with full of kindness. I used to spend hours with this man and every time I met with him I saw another act of kindness, his wisdom his common sense was truly unique, always had a smile on his face and greeted everyone with respect. I can’t tell you enough about this man and how he did so much in such a short lifetime… His yiras shomaiyim was sincere as he always told me when I didn’t feel I should try to help another yid as his response was “what will you answer to one above after the 120 when you’ll be asked why you didn’t help when you had an opportunity…
May he a mailitz yosher for all his friends and family and for klal yisroel and we should hear only good news…
H
For all of you that insist on discussing how he died rather than who he was….if you were to go be menachem avel at his house would you be discussing air safety with his family? Please use brains when you post… A forum like this can be a big nechama to the family when the comments are appropriate or just make the pain worse when they aren’t.
R’ Chaim was a beautiful yid, a talmid chochom always with a ready smile. He was a Baal Tefilah and a maggid shiur at times. He was a dear friend and will be missed immensely. Yehi Zichro Baruch.
For all of you that insist on discussing how he died rather than who he was….if you were to go be menachem avel at his house would you be discussing air safety with his family? Please use brains when you post… A forum like this can be a big nechama to the family when the comments are appropriate or just make the pain worse when they aren’t.
R’ Chaim was a beautiful yid, a talmid chochom always with a ready smile. He was a Baal Tefilah and a maggid shiur at times. He was a dear friend and will be missed immensely. Yehi Zichro Baruch.
I dont know her father I heard he was a very special man. But I know his daughter Leora who is my friend. I feel so sorry for her I wish het a lot of koach to go trough this very hard moment in her life! That we should only share simches together and please hashem enough sorrows send us the geula now we cant take it anymore!
I have known Leora since seminary in Israel 13 years ago and want her to know I am thinking of you and your family during this difficult time. I haven’t spoken to you since your brother’s wedding in Baltimore but I am feeling your pain and hope you have the strength to continue to make your father proud through your beautiful family.
I stayed at the Weiss’s house with my family this summer. I saw what a baal chesed he was, not only with us, but also with others , whether it was with his practice at home, or at Kiryas Yoel. May the family know no more sorrow and be comforted among the mourners zion.
BDE. Levaya is at 6pm at R’ Berg shul on Charlotte Dr in Wesley Hills.
I did not know him well, but what I saw of him, and heard of him, was remarkable. He had a rare ability to make co-religionists of every stripe feel comfortable and valued. I’m told that his professional work in restoring relationships and self esteem was exceptional. From my personal observation, he was always smiling, ready with a kind word and sharing a d’var torah. He was the rare individual who was a mench through-and-through, a talmid chacham, professionally accomplished and lived life to the fullest, in the best sense of the word. He was just the fellow who might have taken an airplane trip to admire Hashem’s handiwork. Unfortunately for us, Hashem saw fit to take him from us way too early. He will be sorely, sorely missed. I cannot believe that he isn’t among us anymore. Our loss.
its actually at 6:00 pm
Mincha at 5:40, Levayah at 6pm. Khal Ateres Rosh, 16 Charlotte Dr, Wesley Hills NY
(306 to E . Willow Tree Rd, 2nd left onto Deerwood Rd, 1st right onto Charlotte)
For all of you that insist on discussing how he died rather than who he was….if you were to go be menachem avel at his house would you be discussing air safety with his family? Please use brains when you post… A forum like this can be a big nechama to the family when the comments are appropriate or just make the pain worse when they aren’t.
R’ Chaim was a beautiful yid, a talmid chochom always with a ready smile. He was a Baal Tefilah and a maggid shiur at times. He was a dear friend and will be missed immensely. Yehi Zichro Baruch.
where is the shiva taking place
4 Charlotte, the Niftar’s home
R’ Chaim was a neighbor of mine and a fellow member of our shul Daf Yomi. Chaim was someone who always had a smile on his face and always remained low key. By the Levaya, I learned so much about him that I don’t think anyone in shul knew. It only reinforces what a true role model he was for his family, for the community and for the KJ School District. He is already missed at the 6:00 daf and the 6:45 Shacharis minyan. May he be a Maylitz Yosher for his family and for our entire community and may we only share in Simchos in the future.
Chaim! OY! What were you thinking!?! You laughed at my reaction to you on a motorcycle and a PLANE! Gevald! 12 years together in KJ passed in a blink of an eye. Your wisdom, your compassion, your patience, your humor and your hunger to grow and learn will be sorely missed. If you left us a ‘yerusha’ it is to embrace every aspect of the living, learning experience and give back, give back and give back!
he was my mother’s first cousin. i wish i knew him better. baruch dayan emet.
He was my father in law. We are stunned, shocked, and not sure how we will move on. He was such a wonderful man who was able to bridge so many circles within klal Yisrael.
Shiva continues until Wednesday morning.
There was a comment asking who is children are married to. If that information is needed, please leave your email in a comment, and I can provide that information.