Socastee plane crash victim was 60-year-old man from North Myrtle Beach area
A man from North Myrtle Beach died in a Friday evening plane crash near Myrtle Beach, the Horry County coroner announced Saturday.
James Marklin Harper, 60, who lived near North Myrtle Beach, died on scene from multiple injuries received in the crash.
The plane went down around 6:15 p.m. Friday. Around 7:15 p.m. the remains of the small aircraft were still smoldering in a clearing off of Socastee Boulevard near Buck Hill Drive. Dozens of spectators were gathered in the parking lot of Thai Palms Restaurant.
A handful of people saw the plane go down and rushed to help, including an off duty Horry County policeman. The plane exploded as they ran towards it and a few people had minor injuries.
The death is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and Horry County authorities.
This story was originally published May 22, 2021 at 9:29 PM.
