Three killed in crash of small plane in Norfolk, Virginia

By John Clarke WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three people were killed when a small plane crashed on Wednesday along the coast of Virginia, officials said. The propeller-driven plane, a Mooney M20, lost contact with Norfolk International Airport about two miles out from its approach over the Chesapeake Bay at about 4:30 a.m. EST, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Nate Littlejohn said. Rescuers searched the Norfolk area, about 200 miles south of Washington, and found the crash site some 300 yards from the airport in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Littlejohn said. Three bodies were recovered at the crash site in the Enchanted Forest section of the 155-acre property, Virginia State Police said in a statement. Police did not identify the victims and a spokeswoman for Norfolk Botanical Gardens declined to comment. Four people were believed to have been on board the plane, Littlejohn said. The crash was under investigation by the Virginia State Police, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. (Additional reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst, Bill Trott and Eric Beech)