NTSB: Plane broke apart midflight over Long Island

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - A single-engine plane heading to Connecticut from South Carolina broke up over Long Island Tuesday, killing three people. Detectives from the Nassau County Homicide Unit spread out across Syosset and recovered all three bodies in three different locations.

"One body was found directly across the street in the parking lot of the BOCES school," Chief of Department Steven Skrynecki said. "Another body was found just slightly to the west of that in the woods. And the third body was found about 50 yards or so beyond that within the jurisdiction of Oyster Bay Cove."

Fox 5 cameras spotted piece of the plane door and another section of the aircraft were found right across the street from some homes on Townsend Drive. Neighbors found parts of the plane on their front lawns and in the woods.

The Beech BE35 went through what investigators call an "inflight breakup," which means it ripped apart midflight. Exactly how and why that happened is still under investigation.

NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator Robert Gretz said inflight breakups are not unheard of but are not that common. He said that in 18 years he has investigated five.

Police asked residents who find any victims' personal items to bring them into authorities.