Three people were reportedly killed after a small plane crashed on Interstate 287 in Harding, New Jersey, just after 10 am on December 20, CBS News is reporting. There’s no official word yet on how many people were injured in the crash, and State Police Trooper Christopher Kay is waiting to confirm the news of the three deaths.
The plane spiraled out of control before it hit the median strip and exploded on one of the New York City area’s busiest highways, which wraps around the northern and western edges of the city. The Socata TBM-700 single-engine plane had taken flight from the nearby Teterboro Airport. FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the plane disappeared from radar after leaving the airport.
Witnesses are saying the plane lost pieces before hitting the ground and exploding. Shonoa Sternberg of Hillsborough told The Star-Ledger of Newark that the right wing broke off as it went down. Other witnesses also said the plane appeared to be doing tricks just before the wing broke off. News 12 New Jersey has also captured footage of the charred wreckage.
As a result of the crash, the highway has been closed in both directions. Debris from the crash, which occurred between Exits 33 and 35, was strewn across both lanes of I-287.
Written by: Karen Benardello
