Three die in plane crash near Everett

EVERETT – A small single-engine plane crashed near Paine Field airport Saturday morning, killing all three people on board, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The Piper PA-28 aircraft went down about 9:45 a.m. southwest of the airport, said Karen Byrd, a duty officer at the FAA’s regional operations center in Renton.

Witnesses told KRKO radio that the plane had burst into flames.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

Byrd said FAA investigators had been sent to the scene, about 20 miles north of Seattle.

The Paine Field Fire Department did not immediately return calls seeking additional information.

The Snohomish County medical examiner’s office said the names of those on board likely would not be released until Monday.