Survivor Says East Hartford Plane Crash 'Was Not an Accident': NY Times [Video]

EAST HARTFORD, CT — As the investigation into Tuesday's crash of a small plane in East Hartford continues, the National Transportation Safety Board has turned the case over to the FBI.

NBC Connecticut reported Wednesday afternoon that the initial investigation by the NTSB indicates the probability that the crash was intentional.

East Hartford Police Lt. Joshua Litwin conducted a press briefing late Wednesday afternoon, in which he too said that the plane crash appears to be "intentional." But he stressed that circumstances beyond saying that the crash appear to be intentional are "still being investigated."

Asked specifically if this was being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, Litwin repeated that everything is being investigated. Some media reports late Wednesday say that the crash may have been a suicide, and Litwin again declined comment on those specific reports.

NBC News’ Pete Williams citing federal sources said there is no indication of terrorism, according to NBC Connecticut.

The Hartford Courant cited sources as saying the student pilot and instructor argued right before the crash and the student pilot was despondent over his poor performance at the flight school. The Courant added that the student pilot flew out of control right before the crash.

"No situation or circumstances are being ruled out," Litwin said in response to questions about the cause of the crash, adding that the NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI are all taking part in the investigation.

The body of the person killed in the crash is still located within the wreckage, as it is "part of the evidence on scene," Litwin said earlier on Wednesday. He would not officially identify the deceased person, citing the ongoing investigation, but various media sources, including the New York Times, have named him as Feras M. Freitekh, a 28-year-old from Illinois.

The Office of the State Medical Examiner is on scene and will take custody of the deceased body "when the circumstances of the investigation allow," Litwin said Wednesday morning.

Litwin would also not confirm the identity of the survivor of the crash but said he "extricated himself from the aircraft before it began burning." He said that individual is being treated at the burn center at Bridgeport Hospital.

NBC Connecticut reported it has learned the survivor is Arian Prevalla, owner of American Flight Academy in Hartford.

The plane was reportedly en route to landing at nearby Brainard Airport in Hartford around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when it crashed in the 400 block of Main Street.

The proximity of the crash to Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, a major aerospace manufacturer for both military and civil aircraft, prompted East Hartford Police Chief Scott Sansom to call in the FBI.

Main Street remains closed between Willow and Ensign streets, as investigators "have the area shut down as an investigative scene," Sansom said.

Officials said Main Street may reopen Wednesday night.

Video credits: eftelya07 via YouTube, Michael Forbes

Photo captured from YouTube video