Small plane crashes into Bowline Pond
By LAURA INCALCATERRA AND CATHERINE L. FOLEY
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original Publication: June 30, 2005)

HAVERSTRAW — A small plane crashed into a Hudson River inlet at 4:41 p.m. today.

Reyes Pichardo had just gotten off work and was returning to his Edgar Street home when he saw the plane. Through a friend who translated from Spanish to English, Pichardo said the craft was flying from the west. The plane's parachute deployed and slowed the craft down, and a man inside jumped out as it hit the water, Pichardo said.

Details are still unfolding, but a preliminary investigation indicated that the engine failed, police dispatcher Brian Gaynor said.

The plane crashed into Bowline Pond, near Warren Avenue, in the village, Gaynor said.

Janitzio Santos was in the living room of his Jefferson Street home when he heard the crash.

"It was a pretty loud crash sound," the 21-year-old Santos said.

Jefferson Street faces the pond and when Santos went outside, he said he saw the plane in the water and a man swimming to shore. Santos went to retrieve his camera and in just those few moments, the plane had nearly sunk, only its tail still visible, he said.

Emergency workers converged on the pond, including area fire and police departments, and rescue boats from the Rockland County Sheriff's Department, the New York State Police and the Westchester County Police.

The U.S. Coast Guard sent the Cutter Penobscot Bay, and a smaller boat called the Aids to Navigation Team, or ANTS, to assist, Petty Officer Michael Lutz said.

Lutz said one person was recovered from the water by firefighters, and Gaynor said that man was taken to Nyack Hospital.

There were no reports of pollution from the crash, Lutz said.

The Cirrus SR22 fixed-wing single-engine plane was lost on the radar about 10 miles from Westchester County Airport, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac told the Associated Press. The pilot issued a mayday at 4:40 p.m., she said.

The plane, tail No. 3452L, was owned by 52 Lima Corp., of New York City, she said.