Neighbor Says He Heard Huge "Pow, Pow" as Plane Crashed

Edward Tracey, who lives just steps away from the two houses that were destroyed Aug. 9 when a plane crashed between them, said he heard a huge "pow, pow" noise when it happened.  

"I was inside my house with the windows closed and I could still hear it," said Tracey, who has lived on James Street for 14 years, just steps away from #64 and #68 Charter Oak Road in East Haven, the site of the crash. 

Tracey, 76, said after hearing the noise he went to investigate, and could not tell there was a plane that had crashed between the houses. 

"That's how bad it was. Big, big flames," he said. "I didn't want to get too close." 

Tracey, a retired Metro North Railroad worker, is not a big fan of Tweed-New Haven Airport, saying "they should get the airport out of here." It's too dangerous for the pilots and the neighborhood, as today's accident shows, he said.  

Tracey said one of his neighbors told him that many years ago, another plane hit a house on Charter Oak as it was approaching Tweed. 

Tracey said the neighborhood is a close one, although he did not know these specific neighbors.  

"I walk by the houses a lot and know them to wave, to say hi," he said.

Tracy noted that already there is an organization of the neighbors to help where they can.