One New York state resident died and two others were injured after a small plane they were in, leaving from the Albany area, crashed on Rhode Island’s Block Island on Wednesday, July 30. All three victims were from New York, officials said.
The three people have not been identified. Rhode Island TV station WJAR NBC 10 reported that an Albany International Airport spokesman said the plane left at 10:50 a.m. Wednesday for Block Island (the town of New Shoreham).
New Shoreham Police Chief Paul Deane said Thursday that just after noon Wednesday the dispatch center started to receive calls about a plane crash just east of the runway. Responders found a small single-engine plane in heavy brush and trees. The plane came to rest on its roof in the brush.
Crews worked for about 45 minutes to free the individuals from the plane, Deane said. One person died and two others had injuries. The injured were flown to Rhode Island Hospital, in Providence.
NTSB to investigate small plane crash on Block Island
The National Transportation Safety Board said that it is investigating the crash of a Piper P28A and that “preliminary information indicates the airplane crashed while attempting to land at the Block Island State Airport.”
An NTSB investigator is expected to arrive on scene late Thursday, July 31. The investigator will start documenting the scene and examining the plane. “The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation,” NTSB said.
Block Island is about 12 miles off mainland Rhode Island and some 14 miles east of Montauk, Long Island's easternmost point. It has about 1,400 year-round residents, but the population is in the many thousands during summer as the locale is a popular destination for beaches, fishing and restaurants.
Rhode Island U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner said on X, formerly Twitter: “My heart goes out to those impacted by today’s plane crash on Block Island, which has tragically claimed at least one life.”
NTSB said a preliminary report will be available within 30 days.
The crash’s probable cause and contributing factors will be in the final report expected in 12 to 24 months, the NTSB said.
Contributing: USA TODAY Network’s The Providence Journal
(This story may update.)
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Yorker killed after small plane crashes on Block Island July 30
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