Maryland State Police responded to a fatal plane crash that claimed three lives in Prince George’s County.
The identification of the victims is pending next of kin notification. All three victims were men. They were pronounced deceased on the scene by emergency medical service personnel.
The preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 11:30 p.m. last night a single engine Piper Cherokee with a pilot and two passengers on board were en route from Ocean City, New Jersey to the Montgomery County Air Park, when for reasons unknown at this time, the plane crashed into a wooded area in Bowie. There were no other injuries reported.
At approximately 11:45 p.m. last night, an iPhone crash alert was received by Prince George’s County Public Safety Communications indicating a crash in the area of Route 50 and 301.
A ground and aerial search for the aircraft was conducted by multiple first responders to include the Prince George’s County Fire Department, Maryland State Police assigned to the Special Operations Division, Criminal Enforcement Division and College Park Barrack, officers from the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department and the Bowie City Police Department.
The aircraft was located this morning at approximately 3:45 a.m. in a wooded area in close proximity to a residential area off of Scarlett Oak Court in Bowie. Forensic analysts from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division responded to process the scene for evidence.
Investigators believe the aircraft belongs to a local flight school in Montgomery County. Police believe the aircraft may have been participating in a training flight.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration have been notified and is leading the ongoing investigation.
