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| Pilot killed in Maryland plane crash is identified; cause of crash remains under investigation | Pilot killed in Maryland plane crash is identified; cause of crash remains under investigation |
| (1 day later) | |
| A pilot who was killed Sunday after his small plane crashed into a home in Maryland has been identified as a 61-year-old man from the Bronx. | A pilot who was killed Sunday after his small plane crashed into a home in Maryland has been identified as a 61-year-old man from the Bronx. |
| Gordon Allen died when his single-engine plane crashed before 3 p.m. in the 6300 block of Chestnut Avenue in Lanham, Maryland State Police said. | Gordon Allen died when his single-engine plane crashed before 3 p.m. in the 6300 block of Chestnut Avenue in Lanham, Maryland State Police said. |
| According to an initial investigation, the plane left the College Park Airport “just minutes prior to crashing,” police said. | According to an initial investigation, the plane left the College Park Airport “just minutes prior to crashing,” police said. |
| The plane hit the carport of a home, then struck a vehicle before it caught fire. The crash also caused the car and the attic of the house to catch fire, officials said. The owners were away on vacation, and no one was home when the plane struck. | The plane hit the carport of a home, then struck a vehicle before it caught fire. The crash also caused the car and the attic of the house to catch fire, officials said. The owners were away on vacation, and no one was home when the plane struck. |
| Allen was the only person on the plane, and his body was found among debris in a driveway across the street from the house, according to officials with the Prince George’s County Fire Department. | Allen was the only person on the plane, and his body was found among debris in a driveway across the street from the house, according to officials with the Prince George’s County Fire Department. |
| Pilot dies after small plane crashes into house in Prince George’s | Pilot dies after small plane crashes into house in Prince George’s |
| No one on the ground was injured, but 18 homes in the area lost power, authorities said. | No one on the ground was injured, but 18 homes in the area lost power, authorities said. |
| Workers with the National Transportation Safety Board, wearing red “aircraft recovery” T-shirts, were busy Monday afternoon collecting debris and other evidence at the crash site. A faint smell of burning debris still lingered in the air. | Workers with the National Transportation Safety Board, wearing red “aircraft recovery” T-shirts, were busy Monday afternoon collecting debris and other evidence at the crash site. A faint smell of burning debris still lingered in the air. |
| Doug Brazy, an air safety investigator with the NTSB, said authorities have not determined the cause of the crash, but expect to issue a preliminary report within 10 days. He said it could take as long as 18 months before a final report is released. | Doug Brazy, an air safety investigator with the NTSB, said authorities have not determined the cause of the crash, but expect to issue a preliminary report within 10 days. He said it could take as long as 18 months before a final report is released. |
| Investigators plan to look at all facets of the incident, including if there was an aircraft malfunction and whether the light rain and cloudy skies played a role. | Investigators plan to look at all facets of the incident, including if there was an aircraft malfunction and whether the light rain and cloudy skies played a role. |
| “We’re going to take a deep look into the weather,” Brazy said. | “We’re going to take a deep look into the weather,” Brazy said. |
| Brazy said that, at around 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the four-seater, single engine, Grumman American AA-5, private plane departed College Park bound for White Plains, N.Y., where the plane is based. | Brazy said that, at around 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the four-seater, single engine, Grumman American AA-5, private plane departed College Park bound for White Plains, N.Y., where the plane is based. |
| Within three minutes of takeoff, Brazy said, the plane, flying at about 1,700 feet, began descending and made a hard turn right. As it got lower to the ground, it began striking trees. | Within three minutes of takeoff, Brazy said, the plane, flying at about 1,700 feet, began descending and made a hard turn right. As it got lower to the ground, it began striking trees. |
| Brazy said the pilot was in regular communication with ground control and had proper certificates and licenses to operate the plane. | |
| Brazy also said authorities plan to order a toxicology report during the pilot’s autopsy to determine if the pilot was impaired, a standard practice in crash investigations. | Brazy also said authorities plan to order a toxicology report during the pilot’s autopsy to determine if the pilot was impaired, a standard practice in crash investigations. |
| There wasn’t a flight data recorder, otherwise known as a black box, aboard the private plane, which is commonly used for flight training and private travel. But Brazy said much of the information obtained through those devices was captured via standard equipment on the plane. | There wasn’t a flight data recorder, otherwise known as a black box, aboard the private plane, which is commonly used for flight training and private travel. But Brazy said much of the information obtained through those devices was captured via standard equipment on the plane. |
| Allen’s family could not be immediately reached Monday. | Allen’s family could not be immediately reached Monday. |
| For seven years, Yonas Afowerky lived next door to the house that was struck. On Sunday afternoon, Afowerky was home watching a movie on his laptop when he heard the crash. | For seven years, Yonas Afowerky lived next door to the house that was struck. On Sunday afternoon, Afowerky was home watching a movie on his laptop when he heard the crash. |
| “I thought it was an atomic bomb,” he said, standing outside the yellow police tape, waiting for authorities to allow him back into his home. | “I thought it was an atomic bomb,” he said, standing outside the yellow police tape, waiting for authorities to allow him back into his home. |
| Afowerky said the street where the plane crashed is often full of children from the neighborhood playing outside. But no one was out on Sunday because of the weather. | Afowerky said the street where the plane crashed is often full of children from the neighborhood playing outside. But no one was out on Sunday because of the weather. |
| Afowerky said the owner of the home, who lived in the house for more than 40 years, has been away visiting family for Christmas. Afowerky said neighbors telephoned the owner and told her what happened. She then telephoned him, he said, to make sure he was all right. | Afowerky said the owner of the home, who lived in the house for more than 40 years, has been away visiting family for Christmas. Afowerky said neighbors telephoned the owner and told her what happened. She then telephoned him, he said, to make sure he was all right. |
| Magda Jean-Louis, Hannah Natanson and Laura Meckler contributed to this report. | Magda Jean-Louis, Hannah Natanson and Laura Meckler contributed to this report. |
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