The single-engine A200 Piper plane went down around 11 a.m., just minutes after taking off from Woodbine Municipal Airport in Cape May County, about 20 miles southwest of Atlantic City. The pilot, 53-year-old Thaddeus Lazowski, of Dennis Township, and his 12-year-old son, also named Thaddeus, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and New Jersey state police. The plane appeared to come straight down and ended up in a densely wooded area in Dennis Township, about a mile from the airport, state police Sgt. Stephen Jones said. It was registered to the elder Lazowski.
Several state troopers, firefighters and rescue crews rushed to the scene shortly after the crash occurred, and they needed all-terrain vehicles to reach the plane. Jones said part of a wing was found about 300 yards from the crash site.
No injuries were reported on the ground, authorities said.
Weather conditions in the area have been poor since Thursday, as powerful storms spawned by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida have battered the state with heavy rains and gusty winds, but it was unknown if that contributed to the crash. Jones said skies were overcast when the plane took off, with light winds blowing and light rain falling.
It wasn't immediately clear where in Indiana the pair were headed, Jones said.
