Hughes Street runs parallel to the street where a small plane crashed into two houses this morning and residents witnessed the horrific accident that claimed at least two lives.
Through the tree line, the saw the plane crash on Charter Oak Avenue and two houses burst into flames.
“I could see beyond the trees. The flames were coming,” said Rose, didn't want to appear on camera of respect for the family affected, but she said the crash jolted her.
“I see it exploding -- one after the other. Then I hear a woman coming out of the house screaming for help. “Help, someone help me,” Rose said.
Other neighbors on Hughes Street said they saw the plane come in unusually low.
“We heard the plane come over and it got dead quiet. You start to see the plane come down and said, ‘That didn't make it,’” Russel Hickson said.
Some neighbors said they saw the plane flying low, then tilt hard onto its side before hitting the two houses on the normally quiet residential street.
Tony Brinley watched from his backyard as the small aircraft flew low over his house, then suddenly spun out of control.
“He made a turn, but when he turned, the wings were up and down. Then I heard a pop,” Tony Brinley said. “Wings were perpendicular -- straight up and down. I thought the pilot was going to abort. I’ve never seen a plan go so far.”
He said he watched helplessly as the plane descended and knew he was about to watch it go down.
“I heard a pop. That must’ve been the power lines,” he said.
The houses are directly under the flight path for Tweed Airport and many remember the crash that happened around in 1971.
In June 7, 1971, 28 people were killed when a plane struck houses, according to records from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Residents said they feared this day would come.
“I believed it because it seems like they are awfully low when they come in to land,” Ann Sprague said.
“It always crossed my mind that this could happen,” Angelo Chieppo said.
