Adjunct professor David Kornreich Ph.D. ’01, 52, and Andrew Harrell, 31, died after Kornreich’s plane crashed in Ithaca’s neighboring town, Enfield, on Sunday afternoon, according to a release from the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
The plane, which did not hold passengers other than Kornreich and Harrell, was cleared for takeoff from the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport on Sunday morning and a witness reported its crash at 12:35 p.m. the same day. No other injuries or damages were reported in the crash, which occurred on North Applegate Road.
Deputies described the 1977 Lake model LA-4-200 plane as a “small Cessna-style aircraft.” The plane appeared to be experiencing a mechanical issue before crashing 10 miles east of the Ithaca airport, according to Syracuse.com.
Witnesses at the Hillendale Golf Course, located approximately half a mile from the crash site, said they noticed a plane flying low and heard its engine sputtering, although the crash itself was not heard, according to the course’s owner, Mary Novickas, who was interviewed by Syracuse.com.
“This is a terrible and tragic situation,” said Tompkins County Sheriff Osborne in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the friends and family of the victims.”
Agencies including the sheriff’s office, New York State Police, Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response and fire departments from Ithaca, the Ithaca airport, Enfield and Trumansburg arrived at the scene.
Kornreich was pronounced dead at the scene, while Harrell was found in critical condition. Emergency response services transported Harrell to Cayuga Medical Center where he later died due to his injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate the cause of the crash, according to a statement by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
Shubha Gautam is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is an assistant news editor for the 144th Editorial Board and can be reached at sgautam@cornellsun.com.
