According to Millhaven police, a Beechcraft Bonanza carrying two people lost oil pressure around 1:00 p.m. and attempted to land on a straight two-lane stretch sometimes used for emergency landings.

At the same time, a 17-car funeral procession for longtime resident Ruth Callaghan was traveling toward St. Mary's Cemetery. Leading the line was Elias Rowe, a contractor and Little League coach who was driving a restored Cadillac hearse as a courtesy vehicle for the family.

As the plane descended, investigators say its left landing gear clipped a utility pole, sending the detached wheel assembly bouncing into the roadway. The wheel struck Rowe's vehicle, deploying its airbags just before the fuselage skidded through the intersection. The impact crushed the hearse's roofline, killing Rowe instantly.

Remarkably, the coffin inside the hearse — carrying Callaghan's remains — was ejected but remained sealed and intact. First responders quickly secured it and returned it to the funeral director, who later resumed the burial service at the family's request.

Both the pilot and passenger of the Bonanza survived with minor injuries. Four others in the funeral procession were treated for non-life-threatening injuries caused by debris and sudden braking.