2 Injured After Plane Crashes On Meriden Ball Field

MERIDEN, CT — One day after a small plane crashed on a ball field near a local school several questions remain about what specifically caused the accident and who was onboard the plane. The good news is that both the pilot and the passenger, who were the only two people on board, are both expected to be ok.

The plane lost power, snagged on a power line, and then crashed on a ball field near W.C. Wilcox Technical High School around 7 p.m., injuring the two people aboard, according to state police. The pilot was taken to St. Mary's in Waterbury, while the passenger was flown via LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital's trauma center.

However, despite the severity of the wreck, state police said the injuries of both people were minor.

"According to investigators on scene, the aircraft which originated out of Westchester County in the state of New York, lost power and clipped a high tension wire, causing significant power outages throughout the city of Meriden," state police said in a statement. "Both DEEP and the FAA were contacted as a result of the collision which caused a minor fuel leak."

The crash resulted in the loss of power to more than 13,000 Eversource customers and W.C. Wilcox Technical High School was closed Friday, NBC Connecticut reported.

Authorities said that the pilot was practicing "touch and go" take-offs and landings and that the plane may have lost power before crashing into the field, according to The Hartford Courant. The site at 298 Oregon Road is about a mile away from Meriden Markham Airport.

According to its website, the Westchester Flying Club "provides safe, convenient and economical flying to its members, along with the social and educational benefits of spending time with like minded pilots. Our 75 member club is based at Westchester County Airport (HPN) and has been here since the 1960s."

Police praised the quick response by local emergency responders and Eversource to treat and assist the two victims. State troopers, Meriden police and firefighters all responded to the crash.

The FAA is handling the investigation of the crash, according to state police.