Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew recovering from crash

A small privately owned plane flying a mission for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary crashed in Bergen County, New Jersey, Thursday afternoon after experiencing engine failure, according to officials. The two members of the Auxiliary on board the Cessna, which was conducting a routine patrol over the Hudson River, are recovering in stable condition.

Emergency workers responded to the scene and pulled two occupants -- now identified as Jack Rosenberg and Erik Pearson -- from the wreckage in a soccer field in Cresskill, close to the Cresskill Swim Club. Video from SkyFoxHD showed at least one crew member with several visible injuries. The Coast Guard said Rosenberg and Pearson were rushed to Hackensack Hospital in Hackensack. Police and fire officials at the scene said one crew member was going in and out of consciousness. The Coast Guard said they are both listed in stable condition at this time. [PHOTOS: PLANE CRASH]

The pilot asked for and received clearance to make an emergency landing at Teterboro Airport, but did not make it. The pilot also considered ditching the plane in the Hudson River.

Several witnesses said the plane's pilot appeared to avoid buildings and the pool area in order to crash into the field, away from people on the ground.

The FAA, NTSB, New Jersey State Police, and the Coast Guard are investigating.

The aircraft is a Cessna 172, built in 1978 and registered to a corporation.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that supports many Coast Guard missions, including promoting recreational boating safety. Members also conduct patrols on water, on land, and in the air using privately owned vehicles.

Rosenberg has been an Auxiliarist since 2005, while Pearson joined in 2010, the Coast Guard said.