DARTMOUTH, Mass. — A small aircraft crashed and burst into flames on the median of Interstate 195 early Monday morning, leaving two people dead and one person on the ground injured, according to state and local officials.
The plane went down shortly after taking off from New Bedford Regional Airport, with the crash reported just after 8 a.m. Heavy rain and powerful winds from a nor’easter were moving through the region at the time.
State police said the aircraft — identified through FAA records as a Socata TBM 700, a single-engine turbo-prop — is registered to Easton Air, LLC of Middletown, Rhode Island. Investigators noted that the pilot did not file a flight plan, and authorities have not confirmed how many occupants were onboard.
Video from the scene showed the wreckage engulfed in flames on the highway median. A heavily damaged vehicle could be seen nearby, though officials have not said whether any motorists were struck.
In addition to the two fatalities on the plane, one person on the ground was injured and transported to St. Luke’s Hospital. No further details about that individual’s condition have been released. The names of those killed are being withheld pending notification of family members.
Both directions of I-195 were immediately shut down, creating massive traffic backups as first responders rushed to the site. Drivers were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
Commuters described the confusion and unexpected gridlock. “It was a wonder that all of a sudden I hit all this traffic,” said Ron Valiquette, who was rerouted off the interstate. “I had to take Route 6 thinking there was a bad car crash. I was listening to the radio and then heard it was an airplane going down on the highway.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to take the lead in the investigation, with assistance from state police and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Officials have not provided a timeline for reopening the highway, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.