Plane crashes in Massachusetts, kills two, wounds one on the ground

A small plane crashed along a major highway in southeastern Massachusetts early Monday amid rain and strong winds, killing both people on board and wounding another person on the ground, authorities said.

 

In videos taken by people in passing vehicles, smoke could be seen billowing up above Interstate 195 from scattered, blazing debris. The highway was closed in both directions near the crash site in Dartmouth, a town about 80 kilometers miles south of Boston, the state Department of Transportation said.

 

The Massachusetts State Police said in a statement it was not aware of any survivors on the plane, which it said may have been attempting to land at New Bedford Regional Airport. However, officials said it does not appear that the pilot provided the airport with a flight plan or passenger details.

 

A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the crash, saying a Socata TBM-700 had departed from the New Bedford airport.

 

No information about the people on board would be made public, authorities said, pending notification of their next of kin.

 

A person on the ground was also taken to the hospital, state police said.

 

At the time of the crash, the National Weather Service said a nor'easter had brought rain and winds from 48 to 64 kph to the area.

 

The Federal Aviation Administration, which state police said would likely take over the investigation, said in an email that it could not respond to media inquiries due to the government shutdown.