A single-engine seaplane crashed into a pier in New York over the weekend, leaving one person dead and two others injured, fire officials said.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) announced in a series of posts on social media that the plane went down at approximately 3 p.m. Sunday at Riverside Drive and 158th Street on the Long Island Sound in Queens.
Fire officials arrived at the crash scene within four minutes after receiving an emergency call about the plane hitting a concrete pier, the department wrote.
A good Samaritan who witnessed the crash had already provided aid to two of the plane’s occupants before officials arrived. The third victim was removed by members of the FDNY, according to a statement.
“As of now, two of the people, the pilot and one of the passengers, are in critical condition in the hospital. One of the passengers is deceased,” officials said. “Two other people, including the good samaritan, were treated on scene and refused further medical aid.”
We received a call of a seaplane hitting a concrete pier. Units arrived within four minutes – FDNY Commissioner Nigro from Riverside Dr and 158 St on the Long Island Sound in Queens after a single engine seaplane crashed into a pier earlier this afternoon. https://t.co/DfCTTZ77Kc pic.twitter.com/WLnh4TMxBd
— FDNY (@FDNY) October 4, 2020
Officials said the remaining fuel was offloaded by the department’s HazMat units—a specialized emergency response vehicle equipped to handle hazardous material incidents.
A person near the crash site told CBS affiliate WLNY the moment the plane hit the pier “sounded like a tractor trailer going through my room.”
“All of a sudden I heard a big bang and I thought it was an accident in front of the house, but it was actually in the back of the house,” the witness told the network.
At approximately 3pm today a single engine seaplane crashed into a pier at Riverside Drive and 158 St on the Long Island Sound in Queens. FDNY members removed three seriously injured passengers from the wreckage and transported them to local hospitals. FDNY Operations continue. pic.twitter.com/pyuDgguowX
— FDNY (@FDNY) October 4, 2020
The plane was traveling at an apparent high speed, skipped twice on the water, and then crashed into the concrete pier, witnesses told FDNY officials.
Additional details were not provided and authorities said the Federal Aviation Administration and National National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.