A plane has crashed in the Town of Aurora, near Buffalo. The pilot of the single-engine Beechcraft plane died in the fiery accident, which resulted in no other injuries, either on the plane or on the ground.
The crash occurred near a property owned by Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins. According to ESPN, Dawkins clarified that he does not reside at the property, which is located in East Aurora.
East Aurora Police Chief Patrick Welch reported that 911 calls about the crash began coming in shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday. “The caller reported seeing a small aircraft crash,” Welch said. “Our officers and detectives, along with other agencies, are investigating, interviewing neighbors and witnesses who may have seen anything.”
A news release from the East Aurora Police Department stated that the 1979 Beechcraft A36 had taken off from Lansing, Michigan, and was headed to White Plains, New York. At 11:16 a.m., Buffalo Niagara International Airport received a report of mechanical issues with the aircraft and designated a runway for an emergency landing. Shortly afterward, the plane crashed in a small wooded area between two homes and became engulfed in flames.
Dion Dawkins later expressed his condolences to the media, as reported by The Buffalo News. “The most important thing is that I hope the pilot’s family is doing OK,” he said emotionally. Dawkins added that he was at the Bills’ facility when the crash occurred and confirmed that his family was safe.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, involving East Aurora Police, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and other agencies.
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