Maryland State Police said the Piper Cherokee crashed around 11:30 p.m. Saturday. The aircraft was found in a wooded area adjacent to a town home community in Bowie, a city in Prince George’s County roughly 10 miles northeast of Washington, D.C.
The pilot and two passengers were found dead at the scene. Their identities have not been released pending family notifications.
Maryland State Police spokeswoman Elena Russo said the only notification authorities received was an iPhone crash alert. “We don’t have any other information at this point from any eye witnesses or anybody that heard anything,” Russo said. “The only thing we have is that iPhone crash alert.”
Russo said investigators are treating the incident as a tragic accident. “It could have been even worse because of the proximity of the crash was literally right next to a town home community in Bowie,” she said. “It’s absolutely a tragic incident that we are here investigating today.”
The Piper Cherokee had departed from Ocean City, New Jersey, and was bound for Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Maryland. CBS News reported that based on the flight’s nature, investigators believe it may have been used for training.
No additional information about the cause of the crash was immediately available. Authorities are continuing their investigation.