Feras M. Freitekh, 28, killed; Arian Prevalla critically injured after small plane intentionally crashes in East Hartford, Connecticut

The pilot was transported to St. Francis Hospital, East Hartford Fire Chief John Oates said. Oates said two people were in the plane at the time of the crash. 

Litwin said the second person is unaccounted for. 

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Piper PA 34 crashed on Main Street around 3:40 p.m. while on final approach at Hartford-Brainard Airport.

A student pilot and instructor were aboard the plane when it took off from Brainard Airport in Hartford, according to Mayor Marcia Leclerc. When it crashed in East Hartford near Main and Colt streets about 3:45 p.m. the plane struck a utility pole and wires, knocking out power to the area. The plane was immediately engulfed in flames.

The pilot, who survived the crash, told investigators that it was not an accident. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing.

The pilot, Feras M. Freitekh, is a Jordanian national who first entered the U.S. in 2012 on a temporary student M1 visa to fulfill a course of study for flight school, CBS News has learned. At some point his status changed to an F1 visa, and he went to a language school in Toledo, Ohio. It then went back to an M1 visa.

The student pilot — identified by federal officials as Feras M. Freitekh — died at the scene. The flight instructor was rushed to the hospital for burns. He was named as American Flight Academy owner Arian Prevalla.

The source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the student pilot told the instructor he did not want to fly the plane any longer, although it is not clear why.

Local investigators believe that Frietekh’s links to Chicago appear to be thin at best. While his FAA records list an address in southwest suburban Orland Hills, a resident of that home told NBC5 by phone that no one there knew him. And a source close to the investigation told NBC5 Investigates that authorities likewise don’t believe Freitekh lived there.  

"As far as the occupants of the plane, he is expected to survive. He is cooperating with investigators he's actually speaking with detectives as part of this investigation as ongoing," said East Hartford Police Lt. Josh Litwin.

The student pilot who died in a plane crash in East Hartford on Oct. 11 died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to the office of the chief medical examiner.

It took days to clean up the damage after a small plane crashed in the middle of Main Street in East Hartford in October, and six months later questions remain about who is footing the bill.