ADVERTISEMENT

East Hartford Police Chief Called FBI for Help on Plane Crash Due to Proximity to Military Engine Manufacturer

(Updated)

October 12, 2016

The East Hartford police chief asked the FBI to investigate if a plane crash that occurred in the Connecticut town was intentional because of its proximity to a Pratt & Whitney factory, ABC’s Linzie Janis reported Wednesday.

There has been speculation that the crash was intentional because the lone survivor told authorities it was not an accident, the New York Times reported, citing anonymous officials.

Pratt & Whitney is a firm that specializes in jet engine manufacturing and works with the United States military, as well as general civilian aviation, according to its website.

Pratt & Whitney currently produces the F135 engine for the F-35 Lightning II. This proven fifth-generation engine was selected by the Department of Defense as the best engine for the F-35 and is more reliable and cost-effective than adding an unwanted alternate engine.

Pratt & Whitney’s other military engines include the F119 for the F-22 Raptor, the F100 family that powers the F-15 and F-16, the F117 for the C-17 Globemaster III, the J52 for the EA-6B Prowler, TF30 for the F-111, and the TF33 powering AWACS, Joint STARS, B-52, and KC-135 aircraft. In addition, Pratt & Whitney offers a global network of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and Military Aftermarket Services facilities focused on maintaining engine readiness for our customers.

"The chief of police saying he asked the FBI to investigate because the plane went down near a Pratt & Whitney factory, describing it as critical infrastructure," Janis said. "The company, a global manufacturer of jet engines for commercial, military, and general aviation."

The company’s global headquarters is in East Hartford, the New York Times noted.

The police chief of East Hartford, Scott M. Sansom, said during a news conference that the police sought the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation because the plane went down near a Pratt & Whitney factory on Main Street, which he described as being "critical infrastructure."

The company, which has its headquarters in East Hartford, is a global manufacturer of jet engines for commercial, military, and general aviation aircraft.

Ray Hernandez, a spokesman for the company, said in an email on Tuesday that the company was aware of the crash and that it did "not appear at this time that any Pratt & Whitney employees or contractors were involved."

The Times and the Hartford Courant identified the plane’s passenger who died as 28-year-old Feras Freitekh, a Jordanian national. Freitekh received an M1 visa for flight school to enter the United States in 2012, CBS News reported, and at some point acquired an F1 visa for language school. He received his pilot’s license in May 2015 and was certified to fly a single-engine plane.

UPDATE 1:15 P.M.: This post was updated to include the identity of the plane’s passenger who died.

Published under: FBI , Military , Police