Private plane crashes in New York with reports of at least one fatality
A small twin-engine plane crashed in a field in upstate New York on Saturday morning, with at least one person declared dead. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly aviation-related accidents this week
A small twin-engine plane tragically crashed in a field in Upstate New York on Saturday morning, resulting in one fatality. This incident marks another deadly aviation-related accident this week, as confirmed by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
The aircraft involved was a Mitsubishi MU-2B heading for Columbia County Airport near Hudson, New York. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the plane, carrying two passengers, went down just after noon local time on Saturday.
During a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore revealed that the crash occurred near Two Town Road without causing damage to any ground structures. However, Salvatore did not provide details about the passengers or whether they were among the deceased.
The identity of those aboard the plane and information about any survivors were also not disclosed.
According to Flightradar24, a private plane matching the model of the crashed aircraft took off from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, just after 11:30 am (4:30pm GMT) on Saturday. It flew north towards Hudson before turning east around noon.
The plane disappeared from the tracking site minutes later near Copake, New York, a small town bordering Taconic State Park near the Massachusetts border.
FAA records show the plane was registered with a company outside Boston.
During a press briefing, Salvatore revealed that the crash site was teeming with emergency personnel, including the sheriff's office, New York State Police, and local fire department staff. She said they were alerted to the crash by a 911 call just after noon.
The National Weather Service reported overcast skies and gusty winds of up to 26 MPH at the time of the devastating crash.
Salvatore also mentioned that the recovery efforts faced challenges due to snowy and wet ground conditions.
She described the crash location as remote and mired in mud, which complicated access: "It's in the middle of a field, and it's pretty muddy, so accessibility is difficult," she remarked.
As of Saturday afternoon, the cause of the crash remained unknown, but Salvatore indicated that sheriff's department officials would be questioning local residents for any information on the incident.
There were no immediate updates on the status of other individuals involved in the crash. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are conducting investigations into the event.