Two people were killed Saturday night when a small plane crashed in a wooded area of Ludlow, Massachusetts, authorities said.
The crash happened at about 9:15 p.m. Sept. 5 near Center Street, close to the Belchertown line. The aircraft was reported missing before local and state authorities began searching the area.
Search crews eventually located the plane in a remote wooded area off Center Street. Two people were found dead at the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Piper 28A and said two people were aboard. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, with the NTSB taking the lead in the federal investigation.
Local officials said emergency crews received reports of a possible plane down in the area of the Springfield Reservoir. Calls from people in Ludlow and nearby Belchertown also reported a low-flying aircraft and what appeared to be a crash.
Authorities used multiple resources during the search, including aircraft and drones, before the crash site was located. The difficult terrain around the site required an extended response from emergency crews.
The victims were associated with Alpha One Services, an aviation company that operates a flight school and aircraft rentals at Plymouth Municipal Airport. The company said it is cooperating with federal, state and local investigators.
The names of the two people killed had not been publicly released as of the latest reports.
The investigation remains active. Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office are working with Ludlow police, the FAA and NTSB to determine what led to the crash. Officials have not announced a cause.
