The tragic incident occurred on a Monday at Long Island’s MacArthur Airport when a couple from Virginia lost their lives in a small plane crash. Both men were identified as Christopher Kucera, 46, who was piloting the plane, and Zachary Hatcher, 43, his only passenger. The Beechcraft Bonanza A36 single-engine aircraft took off at around 6:15 p.m., but faced a fatal crash shortly afterward.
Christopher Kucera, a resident of Fredericksburg, was an air and space engineer who had learned to fly before he turned 17 years old. His brother Mike Kucera shared with the Fredericksburg Free Press that Christopher loved flying and it’s likely the plane lost power upon taking off. He added, “Chris is a hero for avoiding casualties on the ground.
The two men were visiting friends on Long Island before they met their untimely end. Witnesses said that after taking off, the aircraft returned to the runway and crashed into a grassy area.
Christopher’s partner Zachary Hatcher was looking forward to starting a new job as CEO of the nonprofit Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region early next month. Teri McNally, the charity’s outgoing CEO, remembered them both fondly as “fun people to be around,” adding that they had an ability to make everyone feel like their best friend.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the fatal plane crash to determine its cause.
