A tragic plane crash on Thursday evening on Interstate 684 in Harrison, New York, has resulted in one fatality and one serious injury. The crash occurred around 6:35 p.m. when a single-engine Tecnam P-2008 aircraft, which had taken off from Linden, New Jersey, crashed just north of the Westchester County Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the pilot, 32-year-old Yakov Friedman from Monsey, New York, was the individual who died in the incident.
According to aviation experts, Friedman had radioed air traffic control earlier to report engine trouble and was attempting an emergency landing at Westchester County Airport. Sal Lagonia, an aviation expert, explained that Friedman had flown over the Tappan Zee Bridge and was heading towards the airport before trying to line up with runway 16. Unfortunately, the plane fell short of the runway and crashed near the airport.
Despite his attempts to land safely, Friedman was unable to reach the airport, and authorities confirmed his death at the scene. The second individual aboard the plane, whose identity has not been released, sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Both the FAA and local authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
In addition to the tragic loss of life, the crash resulted in a gas spill, complicating the emergency response efforts. Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed the spill, and investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to arrive at the scene to conduct their own investigation into the incident.
New York State Police confirmed that all lanes of I-684 were reopened overnight following the crash’s clearance. The NTSB has called on witnesses to come forward with any information related to the crash, urging them to contact the agency at witness@ntsb.gov.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to understand the events that led to this fatal crash, as they continue their efforts to piece together the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.