Small plane crashes in suburban Long Island; 1 dead, 2 hurt

LINDENHURST, N.Y. — A single-engine plane crashed as it approached a regional airpot in suburban Long Island on Sunday, killing one person aboard and seriously injuring the two other occupants, federal officials said.

No injuries were reported on the ground.

The Piper PA 28 went down about 3 p.m. while heading to Republic Airport in Farmingdale, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of New York City.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene and two seriously injured occupants were taken by helicopter to an area hospital, according to Suffolk County Police. Their identities were not immediately disclosed.

The plane crashed into an area of trees and brush, and no one on the ground was injured, said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer.

“It crashed in a wooded area off of the Long Island Railroad tracks. It’s like a buffer that runs along the tracks,” he said.

Schaffer said the plane gave a “mayday” call over the radio before crashing.

Tom Altieri told Newsday he was getting out of his vehicle around 3 p.m. to enter his home in North Lindenhurst when he noticed a single-engine plane unusually “low and slow.” Seconds after seeing the plane pass over him, he heard “a somewhat large explosion” followed by a plume of smoke.

A person posted pictures on social media showing black smoke rising over homes on a suburban street. Police said they closed a local road because of the crash.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. Police said they also are investigating.