WATCH: A passerby captured the final seconds before a vintage plane crashed along the border of Dix Hills and Melville on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/NjdoeV9SNi
— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) May 30, 2018
A stomach-churning video shows the moment a World War II-era plane spiraled out of the sky over Long Island Wednesday afternoon, dooming its pilot, according to a report.
The 34-second clip obtained by CBS New York shows the propeller-driven SNJ-2 freefalling over Melville, LI, around 1:55 p.m.
The vintage craft — part of the six-plane Geico Skytypers air show team — crashed into the ground minutes after takeoff from Republic Airport, exploding into a mass of flames and smoke.
Pilot Ken Johansen — a 52-year-old US Naval Academy grad and vet who flew for an airline — was the only one on board the plane, officials said.
Johansen is survived by his wife and two kids, according to a rep for his flight team.
“A careful and thorough investigation is already underway,” the flight team said. “We are working with local law enforcement, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Our thoughts are with Ken and his family.”
Additional reporting by Larry Celona