A police pursuit involving a Ford Mustang ended in an unusually expensive place to have a crash: an airport apron. By the time the car stopped, it had gone through a perimeter fence, struck a ground-support vehicle, and collided with a parked aircraft.
The August 29 incident unfolded at Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire after a state trooper attempted to stop a black 2008 Ford Mustang. Police say its 17-year-old driver fled instead, eventually taking the pursuit onto airport property.
AeroTime reported that the Mustang ultimately struck a PlaneSense-operated Pilatus PC-12 that was parked at the company’s Portsmouth headquarters for routine maintenance. Images of the aftermath show severe damage to both vehicles, including substantial structural damage to the aircraft.
Alcohol is also alleged to have played a role, with police filing multiple charges against the teenage driver following the crash. Despite the dramatic airport breach and extensive property damage, no PlaneSense employees were injured.
Police Say The Mustang Entered With Its Lights Off
Planesense N755AF likely totaled by a Ford Mustang
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u/piratedevo in
SkyCards
According to New Hampshire State Police, the incident began at approximately 8:09 p.m. when a trooper spotted the Mustang on Durham Street. Authorities were searching for a vehicle associated with crimes reported in other jurisdictions when the attempted traffic stop began.
Police allege the driver fled after seeing the trooper and entered airport property without the Mustang’s headlights turned on. Once inside the perimeter, the car crossed onto the airport grounds and struck a Kubota ground-support tractor before reaching the parked airplane.
PC-12 vs. Mustang Drunk Driver.
Both lost.
This is a PlaneSense PC-12, you can tell by the tail ending in “AF” and the livery.
Plane was parked and the mustang hit the aircraft. Gonna be an interesting insurance claim. pic.twitter.com/6ztfn8auYC
— Preston Holland 🛩️ (@preston_holland) August 31, 2026
The Mustang then slammed into the Pilatus PC-12 and finally came to a stop. Photos from the scene show the Ford with catastrophic front-end damage following the series of collisions.
The PC-12 Was Waiting For Routine Maintenance
PlaneSense says the PC-12 wasn’t preparing for a flight when the Mustang hit it. The aircraft was at the fractional operator’s national headquarters awaiting routine maintenance.
The collision caused significant damage, with images showing the PC-12’s left wing badly damaged and its landing gear collapsed. PlaneSense confirmed the damage but said none of its employees were hurt and the incident didn’t disrupt the company’s flight operations.
Employees at the airport reportedly provided initial assistance to the Mustang driver and helped secure the area before emergency personnel arrived. The driver was taken to a hospital as a precaution before being taken into custody.
Police Filed Several Charges
Authorities identified the driver as 17-year-old Wyatt Seely of Rochester, New Hampshire. The local State Police division (NHSP) says he’s been charged with misdemeanor counts of aggravated driving while intoxicated (DWI), DWI, disobeying a police officer, conduct after an accident, and a violation-level offense of reckless driving.
It should be noted that the charges remain allegations at this stage, and Seely is scheduled to appear in Portsmouth District Court on September 9.
Fortunately, the incident appears to have ended without serious injuries despite the potential consequences of a vehicle entering an active airport environment. The property damage, however, is another matter entirely.
A Mustang Versus A Pilatus Was Never Going To End Well
The Pilatus PC-12 is a large single-engine turboprop used for everything from business transportation to fractional aviation services. PlaneSense operates the type alongside Pilatus PC-24 jets in a fleet serving destinations across North America and beyond.
Whether the damaged aircraft can economically be repaired hasn’t been confirmed. The visible damage is substantial, so any assessment of whether it is a total loss will ultimately depend on inspections by PlaneSense, its insurer, and relevant aviation specialists.