Plane Crash Survivors Leave Hospital, 'Lucky' to be Alive

Steven Bochter and his fiancee Kim Brillo walked out of Stony Brook University Hospital on Tuesday and spoke to Newsday about what happened before and after they slammed into the woods near the on Sunday evening. 

Bochter, an experienced 51-year-old pilot from Assonet, Mass., told Newsday his single-engine plane lost power shortly after take-off from the Wainscott airport. Headed east for Taunton, Mass., he was unable to find a clearing to land amongst the tall trees, and landed the plane on its belly, instead of its nose, to soften the impact.  

When they landed, he said he unbuckled himself and his fiancee and dragged her out of the plane. 

Though Brillo was unconscious, she was breathing and came to after before the plane erupted into flames. Both she and Bochter suffered leg and arm fractures, cuts, and some bruises. 

"We're very, very lucky," said Brillo, 34, "I didn't think we'd walk away from this."

Bochter and Brillo flew into East Hampton Airport on Sunday and took a cab to East Hampton Village, where they enjoyed the afternoon. They had lunch at , around 1:30 p.m., according to Edmond C. Chakmakian, an attorney who lives in East Hampton. He told East Hampton Patch, "They were a lovely couple." They spoke at lenghth about his love of flying and his experience as a pilot.

The plane wreckage was carted out of the woods on Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash. 

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