Two dead in small plane crash after takeoff from Long Island airport

RONKONKOMA, NEW YORK — A small plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Long Island, New York, killing both people on board, authorities said.

The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza A36 took off from Ronkonkoma MacArthur Airport around 6:15 p.m. Monday and crashed after the pilot attempted to return to the runway, Suffolk County police said in a news release.

The pilot and his passenger were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The two men were the only people on board the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.