2 dead in fiery small plane crash on Route 195 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts
A husband and wife were killed Monday morning when a small plane crashed on Route 195 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, police said. Both sides of the highway were closed for hours
The fuselage of the single-engine, fixed-wing plane ended up on the grassy median around 8:15 a.m. and caught fire, according to Massachusetts State Police. Other parts of the plane were found in the surrounding woods.
Matthieu Néto 
A woman driving on the highway was “hit by part of the crashed plane,” Bristol County Prosecutor Thomas Quinn said. She was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Plane crash victims identified
The district attorney identified the victims as Thomas Perkins, 68, and his wife, Agatha Perkins, 66. Both are from Middletown, Rhode Island.
They were found in the fuselage of the plane on the ground and pronounced dead at the scene.
Rhode Island State Senator Lou DiPalma represents Middletown and Newport and says the couple is well known in the area. “It’s a great loss to the community and a tragedy in terms of what happened,” DiPalma told WPRI.
DiPalma said the couple was part of Kirby-Perkins Construction, the Middletown-based company known for its work in historic restoration and custom homes.
He said his children went to school with the Perkins children at St. Philomena School in Portsmouth. “They were always there and always gave a lot to the school and you always knew they were there,” DiPalma said.
NTSB investigates accident
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the causes of the accident. The agency said the Socata TBM-700 aircraft took off from New Bedford Regional Airport. According to Flightradar24, the plane was en route to Kenosha, Wisconsin.
CBS Boston 
A photo and video posted on social media showed the wreckage burning on the highway in the rain. There was also a wrecked car belonging to the injured driver in the median.
In a statement, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said airport officials stood ready to support the NTSB’s investigation.
“I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this morning’s tragic plane crash in North Dartmouth,” said Mayor Mitchell. “I appreciate the quick and competent response of New Bedford emergency responders, as well as the Massachusetts State Police and other state and municipal officials. I am grateful that the crash miraculously did not result in serious injuries to motorists on Interstate 195.”
CBS Boston 
Jen Jacobs was driving on the highway when she saw a fiery crash. “I look and I’m like, that doesn’t look like a car. And then I see the flames. And then I see the flames crossing all the way westbound on 195,” Jacobs said.
She saw a first responder dousing the fuselage with a fire extinguisher. “I looked at the plane and thought nothing good would come of it. It was in pieces,” Jacobs said.
All travel lanes except the leftmost eastbound lane were reopened in time for the evening commute.
“Officers will remain on scene overnight to ensure the integrity of the scene until federal investigators arrive tomorrow to conduct their investigation,” state police said.
It is not yet known whether the weather was a factor. A nor Easter has been moving through Massachusetts since Sunday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the region.
Dartmouth is approximately 57 miles south of Boston and 28 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island.
