Possible Minor Injuries Reported When Crop Duster Catches Fire After Failed Take Off On Eastern Shore

(CHESTERTOWN, MD) — No serious injuries were reported by the pilot of a small crop dusting plane that caught fire after a failed take-off this afternoon in Kent County.

The pilot is identified as Martin Stoken, 30, of Felton, DE. Fire officials told troopers Stoken had possible minor injuries, but did not require transport to a hospital.

The plane involved is a Grumman Ag Cat G164A crop dusting plane. The plane is owned by Delmarva Aerial Crop Service in Marydel, Md.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m. today, Maryland State Police at the Centreville Barrack were dispatched to the report of a plane crash at a farm in the 10000-block of Flatland Road, Chestertown, Md. Arriving troopers found the plane fully engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished by area fire department personnel. The scene was on a farm in a rural area. The farm owners did not witness the crash and no one on the ground was injured.

The preliminary investigation indicates the pilot reported he had safely performed an emergency landing at the farm yesterday. After a mechanic worked on the plane, the pilot took off from the farm field today shortly after 2:30 p.m. Upon take-off, the plane lost power and hit a car trailer and a piece of farm equipment before landing upright on the ground. The pilot got out of the plane on his own. The plane caught fire after the pilot left the aircraft. Troopers reported the plane was significantly damaged by the fire.

State Police notified officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. FAA officials said they would be responding to the scene tomorrow.