Feds probe crash that killed pilot, passenger at LI MacArthur; cancellations reported

Suffolk County police identified two men who were killed onboard a small plane Monday night at Long Island MacArthur Airport.

Police said 

An investigation continues Tuesday morning into why a single-engine aircraft crashed Monday while attempting to return to the runway at Long Island MacArthur Airport, killing the two people aboard.

The crash has resulted in at least four flight cancellations and other delays this morning. Authorities and airline officials said additional cancellations are likely. One of two runways at MacArthur will remain closed while the investigation continues, authorities said.

Passengers should check with their airline for further delays and cancellations, officials said.

The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza A36 departed Runway 6 at the airport about 6:15 p.m. Monday, but then attempted to return to the same runway, authorities said,

An airport employee reported the plane took off in a southwest direction and, for "some unknown reason, attempted to return to the runway." said Suffolk Police Homicide Chief Kevin Beyrer.

The plane crashed upon its return, killing the two adult men on board, Beyrer said.

Authorities had not identified the victims Tuesday morning. Their bodies were moved to the office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner for identification.

Beyrer would not speculate on the cause of the crash or the intent of the two men onboard the plane.

"The FAA is on scene; the NTSB is responding," he said. "The cause [of the crash] is unknown right now. I will leave that to NTSB to comment on that when the time is appropriate."

The FAA said in a statement that the plane "crashed near the end of the runway at Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York," with two people on board. 

The National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of the investigation, the FAA said. The NTSB said online around 8:30 p.m. Monday that it would be investigating the crash.

Following the crash Monday, Southwest cancelled three inbound arrivals, a Southwest spokesman said Tuesday. That resulted in the cancelation of Southwest's first three flights Tuesday because those aircraft did not spend the night at MacArthur as scheduled.

In addition, three additional Southwest departures are canceled from Islip Tuesday, making for a total of six for the day, Southwest said.

Check back for updates on this developing story.