Horror as plane crashes in home's garden as 50mph wind gusts batter area

A small plane crashed on a street near the Saratoga County Airport, in New York, on Friday. Local reports say the pilot has died while a passenger has been rushed to Albany Medical Center for treatment.

The plane crashed on Wyndham Way, in Ballston Spa, at around 10.30am local time (2.30pm GMT). A witness said the aircraft, a single-engine 1964 Mooney M20E, crashed into a tree. Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo added that it was just a yard away from crashing into a home on the street.

Pictures from the scene show multiple emergency services, including fire crews, in attendance at the crash scene. Some flames are visible from the plane wreckage while some smoke is billowing in the air above.

It comes as the Saratoga County area, in New York, is battered by strong winds. Meteorologists predicted the region would be hit by gusts of up to 50mph on Friday, according to Times Union.

One resident was stood in his driveway near the scene when the plane crashed but, due to the strength of the winds, did not hear what happened. However, it is unclear whether Saratoga County Airport issued any warnings about the strong winds.

Sheriff Zurlo said the plane "hit the top of a tree" and "basically dropped into the driveway". The pictures show the wreckage very close to a home on the street.

Federal Aviation Administration records reveal the plane, which can seat up to four passengers, was owned by a Greenwich man before he sold it around a month ago. It has been confirmed the crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The crash in New York comes after a plan collided onto a busy highway in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, earlier this month. The aircraft plunged towards the road before bursting into flames on the ground.

Pictures from the scene show there is also a wrecked car nearby, but it is not known if this was involved in the crash. Dartmouth lies about 57 miles south of Boston and 28 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island.