NEW YORK — One person was killed and two others critically injured after a small private plane crashed in a Long Island neighborhood Sunday, local and federal officials said.
The Piper PA 28 crashed in North Lindenhurst around 3 p.m. Sunday, shortly before its destination, Republic Airport in Farmingdale, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The airport is approximately 20 miles east of New York City.
Only the three victims were on board the plane at the time of the accident. No injuries were reported on the ground.
The plane crashed into an area of trees and brush, said Rich Schaffer, Babylon Town supervisor.
“It crashed in a wooded area off the Long Island Railroad tracks. It’s like a buffer that runs along the tracks,” he said.
Schaffer said the plane made a “mayday” call on the radio before it crashed.
A police helicopter took the two injured flyers to Stony Brook Hospital.
Photos shared on social media show black smoke billowing from the suspected crash site behind homes in the suburban community.
The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash, including the cause of the plane’s downfall.
