The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a preliminary accident report on a fatal plane crash on Long Island earlier this month.
The pilot was Joseph Milo, 59, of Westhampton Beach. Milo was killed when his single-engine aircraft crashed into a Long Island Rail Road crossing in Hicksville. A passenger was seriously injured.
The NTSB’s preliminary accident report says Milo had communicated with air traffic controllers that his plane was "having a little bit of a problem.'' Then, he reported that he would have to “take it down.” The controller then provided locations of La Guardia and JFK airports, as well as Westchester Airport and the closest airport, Republic Airport in Farmingdale. The pilot said he wouldn’t be able to make it to Farmingdale.
The controller then told the pilot there was a "Bethpage strip'' at a closed airport nearby. That runway no longer exists. The NTSB says it's now covered with industrial buildings.
The plane was headed towards the Bethpage location. Milo said he couldn't see the runaway and communications were lost shortly thereafter. The plane crashed over the LIRR crossing in Hicksville.
A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates air traffic controllers, declined to comment.
