Three people were killed after a small plane that had taken off from New Jersey crashed near homes in a Maryland neighborhood overnight, authorities said.
The single-engine Piper PA-28 was carrying a pilot and two passengers when it went down in Bowie, Maryland, around midnight Sunday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and Maryland State Police.
The aircraft had reportedly departed from Ocean City, New Jersey, and was headed to Montgomery County Airport in Gaithersburg, Maryland, when it suddenly crashed into a wooded area dangerously close to nearby homes.
Maryland State Police spokesperson Elena Russo said officials believe the plane may have belonged to a Montgomery County flight school and could have been involved in a training flight at the time of the crash.
All three people on board were adults. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash triggered an urgent overnight search after emergency crews received an alert about a possible downed aircraft in the area. But despite the immediate response, authorities said rescuers were not able to reach the wreckage until about 3:45 a.m.
Images from the scene showed debris scattered across the ground near a playground in the residential community, located less than 20 miles from Washington, D.C.
The names of the victims have not yet been released.
The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating what caused the plane to plunge from the sky. The FAA is also expected to assist with the investigation.
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