A plane crash near a New York home owned by Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins left the pilot dead Thursday morning.
The small private plane, a 1979 Beechcraft A36, was flying from Lansing, Mich., to White Plains, New York, when it experienced a mechanical issue and went down in East Aurora, Police Chief Patrick Welch told reporters.
The pilot, who was the only one on board, was killed in the crash, which was about 20 miles southeast of Buffalo. They have not yet been identified.
Police said the single-engine plane crashed in a residential neighborhood near 100 Stewart Court, a home that last sold for $1.3 million in 2022, according to Realtor.com.
“I just hope that the pilot’s family is OK,” a “visibly emotional” Dawkins said, according to ESPN.
“I hope that they’re doing all right, because somebody lost their life today,” the gridiron giant added.
Dawkins was preparing for practice when he learned about the crash, which occurred just before 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
“And I’m glad that my family is perfectly fine. The alarm systems, the security guards that are there and all other people that are involved that help keep us safe,” the 30-year-old said.
He told reporters he does not reside in the home but his partner, Daiyaana Muhammad, was checking the mail at the time, ESPN reported.
“Everything was going off, so having the right people in line, and for the family of that pilot, my prayers are out.”
Officials say the crash is still under investigation.