Paul Pelletier, Frank Rodriguez Obituary, Death – Over the weekend, a tragic plane crash in Vermont claimed the lives of four Connecticut residents, including a 15-year-old Middletown girl who was learning to fly from her teacher. Vermont State Police identified the victims as Paul Pelletier, 55, from Columbia, Frank Rodriguez, 88, from Lebanon, and Susan Van Ness, 51, along with her daughter, Delilah Van Ness, from Middletown.
Delilah, a sophomore at Middletown High School, was taking flying lessons with Pelletier, the school’s aviation technology teacher. Rodriguez accompanied them on the trip. Middletown’s school superintendent announced that Middletown High School would be closed on Tuesday, September 10, and all athletic events for that day would be postponed. Additionally, crisis teams would be available to provide support and counseling for students and staff.
The plane, a four-seat, single-engine Piper aircraft, was found in a crash site in western Vermont early Monday morning. Authorities believe the crash happened shortly after the group left Basin Harbor Airport in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, where they had brunch before departing for Connecticut.
Dr. Alberto Vázquez Matos, superintendent of Middletown Public Schools, expressed the deep sorrow felt by the community, emphasizing how the loss of Paul, Delilah, and Susan is already being felt throughout the district and the city. The police also extended their condolences to the families, friends, and students affected by the tragedy.
The preliminary investigation by Vermont state police revealed that the plane took off from Windham Airport in Connecticut at around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday for a two-hour flight to Basin Harbor. After brunch at the Basin Harbor resort, located on Lake Champlain, the group departed for their return trip to Connecticut. A witness reported seeing the plane on the runway around 12:15 p.m., but there were no distress calls or reports of a crash.
When the plane failed to return as expected, a family member called Middletown police at 7:15 p.m. to report that Susan and Delilah had left for Vermont that morning with Paul Pelletier and Frank Rodriguez. The police obtained information on the last known location of the group’s cell phones, which indicated they were still near Basin Harbor.
Middletown police notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Vermont State Police. By 10:20 p.m., Connecticut police contacted Vermont authorities, and Vermont state troopers, along with local police and fire departments, began a search for the missing plane. Using a drone, investigators located the crash site at around 12:20 a.m. on Monday in a wooded area east of Basin Harbor Airport.
The bodies of the victims were recovered and transported to Burlington for autopsies to determine the cause and manner of death. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are leading the investigation into the crash, while Vermont State Police will handle the investigation into the deaths.
In the wake of the tragedy, Middletown Public Schools released a statement urging the community to come together in support of one another, as students, staff, and families grieve the loss of Paul, Delilah, and Susan. The district pledged to honor their memory by upholding their values of compassion, dedication, and kindness.
Support teams will be available at all Middletown schools to help students and staff cope with the tragedy as needed. The community, reeling from this devastating event, is committed to providing the support necessary to begin the healing process.
The investigation into the cause of the crash continues, with the FAA and NTSB working closely to gather more information. Meanwhile, the Middletown community mourns the profound loss of four beloved individuals.