Plane Hits Tree, Crashes Onto Central Jersey Airport Runway

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — A plane trying to land at Central Jersey Regional Airport in Hillsborough hit a tree before crashing onto the runway Tuesday night, said police.

On Tuesday at around 4:15 p.m., a student pilot and the pilot instructor had been trying to land the single-engine plane onto the runway at the airport at 1034 Millstone River Road, said Hillsborough Police Corporal Hank Olszyk.

The plane's left-wing hit a tree during landing causing the plane to crash onto the runway and flip over onto its roof, said Olszyk.

The student pilot, James E. Finley, 70, of Hopatcong and the pilot instructor, Lorraine Denby, 73, of Berkeley Heights, had minor injuries, said Olszyk.

Finley refused medical attention at the scene. Denby went to RWJ Somerset Hospital and was released.

The crash is currently under investigation by the FAA.

Units who came out to the scene are as follows: Hillsborough Township Police Department, Hillsborough Township Fire Units Station 37 and 38, Hillsborough Township OEM, RWJ Somerset Squad, Somerset County Hazmat, and Manville Police Department.

This is the second plane crash at the airport in the past week. Last Wednesday high winds caused a plane to reportedly overturn at the Central Jersey Airport. Read More: Wind Causes Plane To Overturn At Central Jersey Airport

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