Syosset, Long Island – Local police in Syosset received an emergency call at 3:45 pm reporting a small plane crashing at a nearby location.
Although authorities denied to specify the site of the crash, Cold Spring Rd., which is between Townsend Rd. and Chelsea Dr. remains closed by police.
The events
The FAA reported that the plane was a Beech BE35 small aircraft. The aircraft broke into several pieces, allowing scraps of metal to be scattered on a wide radius. At 5:00 pm police cordoned the residential area.
Reportedly, at least three people were on the plane when the accident occurred and all of the occupants were pronounced dead as events unfolded. The aircraft took off from Myrtle Beach, California and it was flying towards Robertson Field in Plainville, Connecticut.
Although there was not much information at first, the Syosset Superintendent of Schools produced a statement where they assert that the police have recommended students and school personnel to remain indoors as investigations develop. The School District has assured that transportation services will be readily available for students and personnel, but the police would have to give their approval. Until then, no one is allowed near the premises.
The statement by the Syosset Superintendent of Schools included the place of the accident, as they said that “an unusual noise was heard in the vicinity of South Woods M.S., Syosset High School and Berry Hill Elementary School.”
There were witnesses to the event, as reported by CBS.
“I was on the sports field – I had lacrosse practice today – and all of a sudden, we heard this, ‘Bbbbbb!’ and then, we were like, I didn’t know what it was, and I look up, and there’s pieces literally falling out of the sky,” a girl attending the Syosset School District commented.
None others than the plane occupants were injured.
Although the exact cause of the crash has not been disclosed, it is known that the pilot had issued a mayday call and flying conditions on Tuesday afternoon were far from optimal for flying. A significant amount of clouds hovered over Long Island since noon and allowed for a visibility radius of no more than 3 miles. The cloud base height relative to the ground was also approximately 800 feet. Cloud base height determines what kind of safety procedures should pilots follow when performing lift-off.
Source: CBS