Two men flying a small airplane crashed in the parking lot of a Kohl's distribution center in Wurtsboro on Friday, according to New York State Police and a slew of media outlets. Both men were injured, but not severely. The cause of the crash is being investigated, according to a press release from the state police, which you can read below.
A Times Herald-Record employee happened to be nearby when the crash happened, giving the newspaper an eyewitness report:
Times Herald-Record regional circulation manager Milton Caban saw the plane go down.
Witnesses said the plane made a fast-moving pass over the airport's runway and rose over a line of trees before plummeting into the parking lot. The plane hit nose first and skidded about 20 yards, trailing parts across the lot before it stopped against a chain link fence.
"It all of a sudden took a nose dive," Caban said.
Here's the State Police press release in full:
Two New Jersey men injured in Wurtsboro NY plane crash.
On May 20, 2011, the New York State Police at Wurtsboro, N. Y. were dispatched to a plane crash at the Kohl’s Distribution Center parking lot, St. Rt. 209, Wurtsboro, N. Y., in which the pilot and sole passenger were injured.
At 5:30PM, a 1999 Diamond DA 20-C1 fixed wing, single engine aircraft, Tail # N877CT, operated by licensed pilot Slawomir Kossowski, crashed onto the paved portion of the employee parking lot at the Kohl’s Distribution Center, just minutes after taking off from the Wurtsboro Airport. The airport is located just adjacent to the Kohl’s parking lot. Kossowski, age 41, from Jackson, N. J. and his sole passenger Rafal Luczak, 32 years of age of Parlin, N. J., both sustained back and head injuries in the crash and were flown to Westchester Medical Center by LIFE STAT. The injuries were not life threatening. There were no other people injured nor was there any other property damaged as a result of the crash.
At this time the investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. The New York State Police were assisted at the scene by Wurtsboro Fire Department and the Mamakating First Aid Squad.
