The pilot of the single-engine plane as well as the only passenger on board both died in the crash, county officials said; the aircraft was found in trees near the airport

By Marc Santia, Chris Jose and Tom Shea

A small airplane crashed near Westchester County Airport Thursday evening, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, killing both people on board.

The single-engine plane, an A36 Beechcraft Bonanza, took off from New York City’s JFK Airport just before 5 p.m. and was en route to Cuyahoga County Airport in Richmond Heights, Ohio, the FAA said. The pilot reported having low oil pressure at 5:25 p.m., and then reported engine problems as the plane was about a mile from Westchester County Airport.

Just minutes later, the airport in White Plains lost contact with the aircraft.

There were two people — the pilot and a passenger — on board the plane when it went down, sources told NBC New York. After searching the heavily wooded area for hours, county officials confirmed that the plane had been located, with the two people inside.

The pilot and passenger both died in the crash, county officials said. The focus of the search was near the northern tip of Rye Lake, on Cooley Hill Road in Armonk. The plane was found in trees near the airport.

The tail number for the aircraft traces back to T&G Flying Club in Ohio. The identities of the victims had not yet been released.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/plane-goes-missing-en-route-to-westchester-county-airport-sources/4057439/