Authorities identified 61-year-old Maggie O’Neill as the victim who died in crash
Pilot was identified as Giuseppe Oppedisano, 61, owner of a Queens restaurant
The third victim has only been identified as a 66-year-old man, authorities said
Both men were taken to a hospital in critical condition; O’Neill died at scene
Officials said seaplane crashed Sunday around 3pm on concrete pier in Queens
The cause of the crash is currently being investigated by the FAA and NTSB
The pilot has been identified as Giuseppe Oppedisano, 61, the owner of a Queens restaurant
A single-engine seaplane crashed on top of a concrete pier in Queens, killing a female passenger and sending the pilot and another passenger to the hospital with serious injuries, New York authorities said.
During a news conference, New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said the plane skipped twice on the water of Long Island Sound as it attempted to land around 3pm on Sunday.
The plane broke in pieces after crashing on a pier at Riverside Drive and 158th Street.
Authorities identified the woman, who died at the scene, as 61-year-old Maggie O’Neill, according to.
The pilot was identified as Giuseppe Oppedisano, 61, the owner of a Queens restaurant Il Bacco.
The other passenger has only been identified as a 66-year-old man. Both men remained in critical condition as of Sunday night.
Witnesses said the plane was traveling fast when it skipped on the water and hit the pier, Nigro said.
‘Why it happened, we have no idea,’ he said.
The plane broke in pieces after crashing on a pier at Riverside Drive and 158th Street. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane is a single-engine Cessna 182
Someone riding a personal watercraft saw the crash and removed two men from the wreckage, Nigro said.
‘I just hopped the fence, I ran over, I ripped the windshield out and pulled one of the guys out,’ said Jarrett Schupak, who was treated for minor injuries after rushing to help.
Firefighters removed O’Neill from the wreckage.
Schupak and two other bystanders were treated for minor injuries at the scene but refused further medical attention, Nigro said.
The pilot is a local resident who flies often from a hangar on the water behind his home, Nigro said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane is a single-engine Cessna 182.
The FAA will release aircraft registration information after investigators confirm it at the scene.
