Wreckage of deadly 1983 Waterrock Knob plane crash removed from Blue Ridge Parkway

If you've been planning to hike to the infamous Waterrock Knob plane crash site, you missed your chance.

The wreckage of a deadly 1983 plane crash that has drawn visitors to the area for years was removed via helicopter early June 27 by the National Park Service from its resting place near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

“We are planning some ongoing sorts of ways to help people understand the unfortunate nature of the crash, and some ongoing education about the nature of our decision at Waterrock Knob, with some sort of temporary exhibits to the visitor center in the coming weeks,” parkway spokesperson Leesa Brandon told the Citizen Times.

The crashed plane that became covered in graffiti as well as a popular subject on Instagram was a Cessna 414A, an eight-seater aircraft. According to a Citizen Times article published Nov. 30, 1983, the plane crashed on Thanksgiving Day and was located on Nov. 29. The frozen bodies of two crash victims were recovered, but much of the wreckage was left in place until this operation.

Ever since the land where the wreckage rested was donated to the parkway in 2016, unauthorized “social trail” access to the site by visitors has created increasing safety and environmental concerns, according to a news release from the park service. The release said many hikers to the site had become lost or injured since the acquisition of the land.

“While we understand the interest associated with this site, the resource damage and visitor safety issues presented too great a threat to take no action,” Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout said in the release. “Caring for these special places requires everyone’s cooperation, and we ask that everyone play a role in the protection of this place and not cause any further damage or injury to the resources or themselves by going off trail to find this site.”

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The Waterrock Knob area is one of four high elevation sites in the park where there is a concentration of rare and sensitive species including pinkshell azaleas, a rare flower native to N.C. Severe resource damage has been recorded to these species surrounding the wreckage due to trampling, erosion, soil compaction and vegetation removal caused by hikers, the release said. The area that once contained the wreckage has recently been the focus of a large-scale land conservation initiative.

Swartout in the news release asked that everyone do their part to care for the park, despite the intrigue that surrounded the site for seven years.

Brandon told the Citizen Times that the removal operation was a well-planned effort with plenty of teamwork. Ground crews supported the airlift by helicopter, and the section of the park closed for the process at 6:30 a.m. was reopened later the same day.

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Iris Seaton is a news intern for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Waterrock Knob plane crash wreckage removed from Blue Ridge Parkway