2 Virginia men identified who died in plane crash at Long Island MacArthur Airport

ISLIP, Long Island (WABC) – Authorities have determined the identities of the two men who died in a small plane crash on Long Island on Monday evening.

Their small plane crashed at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip. Both men on board were killed.

The pilot Christopher Kucera (46) and the passenger Zachary Hatcher (43) both came from Virginia. No other injuries were reported.

The FAA said a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza A36 crashed near the end of the airport’s runway at about 6:15 p.m.

Suffolk County police said the small plane took off in a southwesterly direction and, according to a witness, was in the air and attempted to return to the airport for an “unknown reason.” Upon returning, the plane crashed.

It is still unclear where the plane was flying and what the purpose of the flight was.

A 180-degree turn shortly after takeoff is considered extremely risky for a single-engine aircraft, according to FAA guidelines. If an engine failure is the cause, pilots are instructed to try to land the aircraft without turning. However, it is not clear what mechanical problems, if any, have been discovered or reported.

Both the FAA and the NTSB arrived at the scene of the accident and are investigating.

Suffolk County Police are also investigating the accident with the help of a crime scene investigation team, as would be done in a fatal car crash.

The runway had to be closed for the investigation.

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