Body found off Breezy Point after plane crash

BREEZY POINT, Queens (WABC) -- A man's body was recovered from the debris of a small plane crash in the water off Breezy Point, Queens, early Thursday, and his business partner identified the fatality as 57-year-old James "Brad" McGee.

McGee is believed to be the only person aboard the plane at the time. Authorities also recovered parts of the aircraft, including pieces of fiberglass, a wheel, fuselage and personal property.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.

A 911 call came in just before 8 p.m. Wednesday that a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft went down off Beach 219 Street at Breezy Point Boulevard. The NYPD and FDNY searched nearby water.

After about an hour and a half, debris from the small plane was found about 1.5 miles off Breezy Point.

The plane was believed to have left Philadelphia around 7:30 p.m. en route to Portsmouth, N.H., cruising at 1,000 feet. The plane, a two-seater, believed to be a Cirrus SR22, was registered in New Hampshire. There was no flight plan available for Wednesday.

The FAA reports that no distress call was made.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.