A search-and-rescue operation concluded Sunday with the discovery of the wreckage of a private plane in a wooded area near Bowie, Maryland, killing the three adult men on board, officials announced.

The single-engine Piper Cherokee aircraft, which had taken off from Ocean City, New Jersey, was en route to Montgomery County Air Park in Maryland when it crashed late Saturday night. Rescuers located the wreckage in the woods close to a residential neighborhood.

Authorities confirmed that the pilot and two passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. The bodies of the three adult males have been recovered, according to a statement from the Maryland State Police. The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending family notification.

Investigators believe the aircraft may have been associated with a local flight school in Montgomery County and potentially engaged in a training flight at the time of the crash. An iPhone crash alert was received by Prince George's County Public Safety Communications approximately 15 minutes after the plane's departure, indicating a crash occurred in the vicinity of routes 50 and 301.

A multi-agency ground and aerial search was initiated immediately after the plane was reported missing. No injuries were reported among residents in the nearby housing area. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.

The Piper Cherokee took off from Ocean City, New Jersey, around 11:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The flight path was intended to conclude at Montgomery County Air Park in Maryland.

The wooded crash site's proximity to a residential area prompted an immediate response from emergency services and law enforcement. The investigation will seek to determine the factors contributing to the aircraft's descent and impact.

Further details regarding the flight's operational status and any potential mechanical issues are expected as the NTSB and FAA conduct their thorough examination of the wreckage and flight data.