Three people were killed in a small plane crash in western Massachusetts on Sunday morning, according to a statement from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP).
“A Beechcraft Baron 55 twin-engine airplane crashed in Leyden, Massachusetts at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time Sunday,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shared with PEOPLE.
The victims were identified Monday as William Hampton, 68, Frederika Ballard, 53, and Chad Davidson, 29, state police said. Ballard was the owner of Fly Lugu Flight School, Hampton was an instructor, and Davidson was a student pilot.
Hampton, Ballard and Davidson were the only people on board the flight school plane and “they were pronounced dead by Greenfield firefighters and EMS paramedics,” MSP said in a statement. The three victims were then transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Officer.
An Alaska Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Portland after part of the plane exploded in mid-air
The accident happened two hours west of Boston, near the border of Massachusetts and Vermont. MSP reports that “authorities began searching the crash site around 11:30 a.m.” The search began after “Greenfield Police/Fire received 911 calls from dog walkers in Leyden and Greenfield reporting a plane that appeared to be about to crash.”
Upon arrival at the scene of the accident, the MSP Crime Scene Service processed and documented the scene of the accident. An investigation into the crash has begun, with MSP, Greenfield Police, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board working together.
On Sunday, state troopers remained in place to secure the night.
“An investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be returned to a secure facility for further evaluation,” NTSB spokeswoman Sarah Taylor Sulick told CBS affiliate WBZ-TV. “A preliminary report will be available within 30 days.”
An NTSB investigator was appointed to examine the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. In addition, the investigation will gather data on flight tracks, air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance, weather forecasts, weather and lighting conditions, witness statements, electronic devices and video surveillance, as well as pilot’s license, ratings, recent flight experience and 72- hour background, reports NBC 10.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Representatives of the Massachusetts State Police, Greenfield Police, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office and the National Transportation Safety Board did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional information on Monday.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education