NTSB: Dixon man was student pilot on 10th solo flight at time of fatal Whiteside County plane crash
By Charlene Bielema
Published on April 3, 2026.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report regarding a fatal plane crash on March 20 in Whiteside County, North Carolina. Justin Wiggins, a student pilot on an instructional flight at the time of the crash, was pronounced dead at the scene. The report also revealed that Wiggins had been on his 10th solo flight since receiving his solo endorsement on Feb. 12. The pilot's flight instructor reported that the wind had been variable throughout the day and Wiggins was unsure what flight maneuver he would perform for the local flight. The plane was found upright in an agricultural field 1,100 feet south of runway 25.
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