Authorities Identify Victims of Fatal Plane Crash

FAIRFIELD—As each low-flying plane has descended onto a runway at the nearby Essex County Airport over the years, workers of an area business have always considered the possibility of a tragic accident occurring one day.

Their fears became a reality late Monday afternoon when a Cirrus SR22 aircraft crashed just outside their building on Daniel Road.

The pilot and two passengers of the small plane were killed when the aircraft crashed less than a mile from the airport and just yards shy of hitting Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning where four people were inside.

According to Holly Baker, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, all three people on board were killed in the crash that occurred near the corner of Sperry Road at about 5:30 p.m.  

Authorities said Monday night that Margaret Denise Smith, a 70-year-old licensed pilot from New York and owner of the plane, was at the controls of the aircraft. Michael Ferguson, 44, and his wife, Theresa, residents of New York who are believed to be related to Smith, were the two passengers who died.

The single-engine, four-seat plane left Plattsburgh, N.Y., near the Canadian border, at 4:05 p.m., and was expected to land at the Essex County Airport at 5:32 p.m. 

According to authorities, the pilot tried several times to land on one of the runways, but the plane crashed on the final approach at 5:28 p.m., and burst into flames on the industrial road just north of the airport off of Passaic Avenue. The FAA is investigating the exact cause of the accident.

"There was some kind of issue when the pilot tried to go around to re-attempt a landing," Fairfield Deputy Police Chief Steven Gutkin said. "At that point, for some reason, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the ground."

According to Garfield Smith, he and three others were working at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning at 11 Daniel Road when they heard a loud explosion in the driveway just outside their building.

"We heard a loud crash, and then by the time we went outside, it was in flames," Smith said. "There were two smaller explosions since then."

Since many of the area companies were closed to observe the Fourth of July holiday, Smith said there was no one else in the vicinity of the crash and there were no reported injuries on the ground.

The fire was extinguished by area fire departments within a half hour of the crash. 

The New Jersey State Police, Essex County Police, Essex County Sheriff's Department, Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Fairfield, West Caldwell and North Caldwell police departments were among those who responded as well as the West Essex First Aid Squad and Fairfield's Atlantic Ambulance.

Noah Cohen contributed to this story.