Officials say the plane that crashed in Mattituck Saturday and claimed two lives was a Beechcraft A-36 – a type of plane that has crashed on Long Island before.

Back in May 2016, there was a deadly crash involving the same type of plane in Syosset. Three people were killed when the Beechcraft went down on Cold Spring Road.

Pilot Vincent Aprea, who flies an emergency medical helicopter for SkyHealth, says the six-seater plane, is a popular choice for recreational and novice pilots.

"It's been around for a long time and I think its reliability is a testament to its longevity," says Aprea.

 

Bill Serocki, a flight instructor, was giving a lesson Saturday morning when he heard a call over the radio about the plane in Mattituck.

"He said he was going down probably by the Mattituck area and we just saw the plume of smoke,” says Serocki.

The pilots say it is important that people don't speculate about what caused this crash.

“You can't rush to any judgment,” says Serocki. “He was in the situation and you can only…wish for the best for him.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. News 12 was told it was caused by a mechanical issue. The exact cause has not been released.

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