A private plane crash on Long Island, N.Y., claimed the lives of two Fredericksburg area men on Monday. Pilot Chris Kucera, a 1996 graduate of Middlesex High School, and partner Zach Hatcher, 43, died at the scene, according to reports. They were the only passengers in the plane.
Chris Kucera’s brother, Mike Kucera, confirmed reports on Tuesday.
Multiple news sources reported that an eyewitness said the plane had just taken off and was attempting to return to the airport when it crashed.
The FAA website reported that the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza A36 crashed about 6 p.m. near the end of the runway at Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York.
Mike Kucera, of Richmond, said his brother, Chris, 46, was an experienced pilot and an air and space engineer.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also responded to the scene.
