Police: Small plane, pilot’s body, recovered off New Jersey coast

State police say a small plane that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey has been recovered along with the pilot's body.

Associated Press

June 1, 2019

In this photo provided by the United States Coast Guard, a pair of Sea Tow boats joins another vessel off Cape May Point, N.J., in the search for a single engine airplane that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, Wednesday, May 29, 2019. The aircraft's owner says the male pilot was a regular customer who flew recreationally. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Keegan/United States Coast Guard via AP)

State police say a small plane that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey has been recovered along with the pilot’s body.

Sgt. Lawrence Peele confirmed Saturday that the plane and the body were recovered Friday night. The pilot was earlier identified as 58-year-old Lawrence Klimek, of Howell, New Jersey.

Authorities said the single-engine Mooney M20J left Trenton-Robbinsville Airport in Robbinsville, New Jersey, at about 8 a.m. Wednesday and later crashed about 1,200 feet from Cape May Lighthouse.

Captain Jack Moran, owner of salvage company Sea Tow Cape May, which was working with Northstar Marine on the recovery, told the Press of Atlantic City that Klimek’s body was still strapped into his seat in the cockpit.

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The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

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