Two men killed when a small plane bound for Masssachusetts crashed in rural New Jersey on Wednesday morning were flying an "angel flight" at the time, en route to help a medical patient, according to police.
Robert Winner, 69, and Timothy Scannevin, 71, both of Burlington County, New Jersey, died in the crash in Springfield Township, New Jersey State Police said.
Winner, of Marlton, was piloting the twin-engine Hawker Beechcrafter 58 Baron, police said. He and Scannevin, of Southampton, were the only two on board at the time.
The flight plan apparently was to eventually pick up a patient at an out-of-state hospital for transport, according to police and published reports. According to the website FlightAware, the plane was traveling to Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis.
The plane disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff from South Jersey Regional Airport in Lumberton, which is about 10 miles southwest of the crash scene, authorities said.
The crash occurred in a field around 9:30 a.m. off Smithville-Jacksonville Road just north of Oxmead Road, Springfield Mayor Denis McDaniel said Wednesday.
It appeared the plane crashed on one side of Smithville Jacksonville Road, went across the and came in contact with trees over at least 200 feet before stopping.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and may hold a press conference Thursday with more details.
