Connecticut: Jordanian flight student intentionally crashed plane killing himself and injuring three others.
Student pilot Feras M. Freitekh, 28, intentionally crashed his aircraft into a Connecticut high street killing himself and seriously injuring his flight instructor Arian Prevalla, after a fight for control in the cockpit.
The experienced pilot told police from his hospital bed that had fought for control after Freitekh began flying ‘erratically’ saying that he and the student had been arguing shortly before the plane crash.
The student pilot, Freitekh came to U.S. in 2012 from Jordan as an international student on a temporary M-1, transitioning to an F-1 visa to attend language school before returning on an M-1 visa to go to Connecticut Flight Academy.
FBI and state counter-terrorism unit are investigating after the crash occurred close to defense contractor Pratt & Whitney’s Connecticut headquarters, listed as ‘critical infrastructure’
Crashed Cessna took off from Hartford’s Brainard Airport on Tuesday.
The Hartford Courant reports that a Cessna took off from Hartford’s Brainard Airport on Tuesday with a student pilot and an instructor on board. It struck a utility pole in East Hartford and crashed around 3.30 p.m., bursting into flames.
The Piper PA 34 twin-engine plane crashed on Main Street in East Hartford at around 3:30 p.m., according to the deputy police chief. Main Street was shut down between Brown Street and Ensign Street. Drivers were being asked to avoid the area, WFSB reports.
Eversource crews were called to scene of the crash and were working to reroute power in the area. At one point, more than 500 customers were without power.
The remaining number of outages, which will be isolated right to the area of the crash and where the lines came down, will take longer to restore. Eversource crews need to wait for investigators to give them the OK to begin making repairs.
Officials from the United States Postal Service said no USPS employees or vehicles were struck, however officials said they believe a collection box where customers drop their outgoing mail may have been.
Traffic along I-84 and Route 2 in East Hartford was impacted because of the plane crash.
Part of Route 2 was shut down at one point, but it has since reopened after the crash. Exit 55 off Interstate 84 reopened as well as westbound side of Route 2.
