SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio — The community is mourning the tragic loss of Kurt W. Paulus, 76, of Delaware, Ohio, who lost his life Thursday morning in a devastating plane crash in Harrison Township.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Paulus was piloting a 2006 Cirrus SR-20 single-engine aircraft that had just departed from the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport. During the aircraft’s initial climb after takeoff, the plane crashed into a residence along Bennett School House Road.
Emergency crews responded to the scene Thursday morning, but Paulus was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the crash. Authorities have not released information about whether anyone was inside the residence at the time or if there were additional injuries on the ground.
For those who knew him in Delaware, the news of Kurt Paulus’s death has brought profound sadness. At 76, he was remembered by friends and neighbors as an experienced pilot and a man who carried himself with quiet dedication to the things he loved — including aviation.
“This is just heartbreaking,” said one Delaware resident. “Kurt had a real passion for flying. To lose him this way… it’s hard to process.”
The crash site along Bennett School House Road remained under investigation Thursday as troopers, FAA officials, and the NTSB worked to determine what caused the Cirrus SR-20 to go down so soon after takeoff. The aircraft came to rest after striking the home, and the impact left the Harrison Township neighborhood shaken.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the investigation is ongoing and additional details will be released as they become available.
Kurt W. Paulus leaves behind family, friends, and a Delaware community now grieving the loss of a neighbor who took to the skies one last time Thursday morning.
Memorial arrangements have not yet been announced. The family has requested privacy as they navigate this sudden loss.
He will be deeply missed.
Delaware, Ohio Community Mourns Kurt W. Paulus, 76, Killed in Devastating Plane Crash Into Scioto County Home
