2 dead in plane crash at MacArthur Airport – NBC New York

A small plane crashed while taking off from an airport on Long Island. According to officials, two people on board were killed.

The plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza A-36, had taken off from MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma at about 6:15 p.m. when it crashed, authorities said. An airport employee who witnessed the incident said the plane attempted to return to the runway shortly after takeoff but crashed.

Two men – the pilot and the passenger – were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, authorities said. No other injuries were reported.

It was unclear where the plane was heading or why it might be attempting to return to the airport.

The airport fire department arrived at the scene of the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.

The runway will remain closed during the investigation.