US: Small plane crashes in suburban Long Island, 1 dead

A single-engine plane crashed in suburban Long Island on Sunday afternoon as it approached a regional airport, killing one person and seriously injuring two more, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The Piper PA 28 with three people on board crashed while on approach to Republic Airport in Farmingdale at about 3 pm, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airport is about 20 miles (32 kilometres) east of New York City.

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The plane crashed into an area of trees and brush, and no one on the ground was injured, said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer.

"It crashed in a wooded area off of the Long Island Railroad tracks. It is like a buffer that runs along the tracks," he said.

Schaffer said the plane gave a "mayday" call over the radio before it crashed.

Suffolk County Police said they closed a local road because of the crash. A person posted pictures on social media showing black smoke rising over homes on a suburban street.

The FAA and the NTSB will investigate the crash.