MIDDLEBURY — On Jan. 9 the Middlebury Police Department was recognized by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for the department’s efforts in the investigation of the airplane crash that occurred off Schoolhouse Hill Road on Dec. 23.
The department was recognized for the preservation and technical documentation of the scene, for arranging with the Addison County Sheriff for 24-hour security of the crash scene through Dec. 26, when the wreckage was removed to interior storage at the police department for technical examination.
Officers of the police department preserved witness testimony and obtained statements, assisted the medical examiner, and provided support to NTSB investigators. The department was specifically recognized for preserving perishable evidence, for its professionalism, and its can-do attitude.
“The immediate response of everyone in your team helped recover evidence from a very challenging crash cite,” NTSB Air Safety Investigator Heidi M. Kemner wrote in a letter to Middlebury Police Chief Tom Hanley. “Their work in preserving perishable evidence was exceptional, and will no doubt provide vital insight into why the tragedy occurred.
“When the board responds to an accident, we don’t know what type of support we’ll receive on scene, but in this case the overall hospitality we received was humbling,” Kemner continued. “I can comfortably state that when it comes to hospitality, the Middlebury Police Department has no peer.”
Read the entire letter by clicking here.
The technical aspect of the investigation is ongoing by the NTSB.