Investigators expected on scene after fiery plane crash near Teterboro Airport in NJ
CARLSTADT, New Jersey (WABC) -- Federal investigators will be at the site of a deadly jet crash near a small airport Tuesday, working to determine what caused the aircraft to go down before bursting into flames.
Police said two crew members were killed when the Learjet 35 crashed among small warehouses and industrial buildings Monday around 3:30 p.m. in Carlstadt a quarter-mile from the runway at Teterboro Airport. There were no passengers aboard and no one on the ground was reported injured.
The Medical Examiner is working to determine the identity of the victims. The FAA is expected at the scene on Tuesday along with the NTSB.
There was no indication in radio communications with the tower that there was anything wrong before the plane dove into the area and burst into flames.
Surveillance video from a nearby business shows the moment of impact and then a huge fireball. A man can be seen running across a parking lot toward the crash site as thick, black smoke spews into the air.
Two of the three buildings involved in the crash sustained fire damage.
Emergency responders worked for more than an hour to extinguish the blaze, which left a smoldering wreckage of cars in a parking lot. Police said 13 vehicles also were damaged.
The plane was registered in Billings, Montana, to a company called A&C Big Sky Aviation, which has a residential address. The owners of the residence are Daniel and Julane Wells.
The airport was closed after the crash. Departing flights resumed in the evening, but no arriving flights were allowed.
The jet had flown from Teterboro to Bedford, Mass., early Monday morning. It then flew to Philadelphia later Monday morning before leaving for Teterboro in the afternoon. It was just about to land at Teterboro before the crash.
It happened in an industrial area on Kero Road in Carlstadt.
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2 dead in fiery small plane crash near Teterboro Airport in NJ
May 15, 2017 11:20PM
CARLSTADT, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two crew members were killed after a small plane crashed into an industrial area and burst into flames in New Jersey Monday afternoon.
It happened just after 3:30 p.m. ET on Kero Road in Carlstadt, near Teterboro Airport -- a small airport located close to New York City.
Officials said the small, Learjet 35 jet came from Philadelphia and was just about to land at Teterboro. There was no indication in the radio communication with the tower that there was anything wrong -- the plane simply dove into the the industrial area about a 1/4 mile from the airport and burst into flames. Three buildings caught fire as a result.
Carlstadt spokesman Joe Orlando said two crew members on board -- believed to be the pilot and co-pilot -- were killed in the crash. No passengers were on board, and no people on the ground were injured. In a press conference, officials said the fact that no one on the ground was injured at that time of day was "quite remarkable."
The Medical Examiner is working to determine the identity of the victims.
Here are photos showing the scene of the crash:
(Photo/Jeff Williams)
A person who worked in one of the buildings hit by the plane said the crash happened about 30 minutes after one of the businesses closed, so no one was inside. However, there were people in the second building -- and they were all able to get out safely. Officials said that two of the three buildings affected suffered exterior damage only. 13 cars were also damaged by the plane crash.
The FAA issued this statement shortly after the crash:
"A Learjet 35 crashed on approach to Runway 1 at Teterboro Airport at 3:30 pm today. The aircraft went down about 1/4 mile from the airport in a residential area. The flight departed from Philadelphia International Airport and was headed to Teterboro. The FAA is enroute to the scene. Local authorities will release information about people on board the aircraft. We will update this statement when we get new information."
The FAA is expected back at the scene on Tuesday along with the NTSB.
Here is a look at the plane that crashed, as posted on the website FlightAware.com:
Airport officials closed Teterboro Airport immediately after the crash. It reopened about three hours later.
Officials give their insight on the crash:
It happened in an industrial area on Kero Road in Carlstadt.
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| Status: | Preliminary |
| Date: | Monday 15 May 2017 |
| Time: | ca 15:30 |
| Type: |  Learjet 35A |
| Operator: | A&C Big Sky Aviation LLC |
| Registration: | N452DA |
| C/n / msn: | 35A-452 |
| First flight: | 1981 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Airplane damage: | Destroyed |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 1 km (0.6 mls) S of Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Philadelphia International Airport, PA (PHL/KPHL), United States of America |
| Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB/KTEB), United States of America |
An Learjet 35A corporate jet crashed and burst into flames while on approach runway 01 to Teterboro Airport, New Jersey, USA, according to the FAA.
The airplane impacted the ground in an industrial area between Kero Road and Commerce Road in Carlstadt, New Jersey, 1000 m short of runway 01. A fire erupted and consumed the aircraft. Both crew members have died in the accident.
Sources:
» Flightaware» NBC
» FAA