Pilot Injured In Small Plane Crash In Old Bethpage

OLD BETHPAGE, NY — A small plane went down in Old Bethpage on Sunday afternoon, Nassau police said. The call came in at 1:05 p.m.

The pilot, who was injured in the crash, was the only person on board, according to the Town of Oyster Bay. He was conscious when rescuers found him. The pilot is in stable condition at a nearby hospital, police said.

A Highway Patrol Officer saw a small plane descending that appeared to be in distress in the vicinity of Winding Road. The officer entered the wrecked plane and found the pilot pinned in the cockpit, which was roughly 10 feet off the ground. The plane was also leaking fuel.

Photos from the scene show the plane near a building at the Old Bethpage Solid Waste Complex at 101 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Road. There's a large field behind the building.

"Although always a frightening circumstance, we are fortunate this plane crash occurred in an area where there are no homes, a school or other structures," Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. "Thankfully the pilot was the only one on board, and somehow was able to navigate to the aircraft to cause the least amount of damage. We pray for him and wish him a speedy recovery."

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

The Bethpage and Melville Fire Departments helped stabilize the plane.

Peggy Spellman Hoey contributed to this report.

Video credit: Fully Involved Media Group