Six people died after a small plane crashed in Northeast of Ohio on Sunday morning, authorities said.
Two crew members and four passengers were aboard the Cessna 441 plane that crashed seven minutes after taking off from Youngstown-Warren regional airport.
The NBC WFMJ affiliate from Youngstown reported that Ohio’s road patrol received a call informing an accident at 7:01 am Sunday in the King Graves Road area.
He crashed into a wooded area in the municipality of Howland, 2 miles east of the airport. The authorities said the plane was heading to Bozeman, Montana.
“We are disconsolate in informing that there are no survivors,” said Anthony Tretgena, Western executive director Reserve Port Authority, at a press conference on Sunday.
The first to respond recovered the bodies of the remains and are with the forensic office. Identities are pending near notification.
The National Transportation Board was on the site on Sunday night and is investigating the cause of the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration is also helping in the investigation.
The fire chief of the municipality of Howland, Ray Pace, said it was difficult to access the plane when he crashed in a very wooded area between King Graves Road and Spring Run Road. The authorities could only turn off a fire at the scene of the accident through those roads and the backyard of a person.
PACE said the tragedy is probably the most deadly plane crash in the history of the county.
The authorities said the pilots had “very experience.”
“These were the best of the best in terms of people here in the field, as well as in the pilots. I cannot say enough about them and give anything to rewind the day and take them to breakfast,” said Mike Hillman of Jets FBO.
“I cannot think of better people. Therefore, our community is in a great loss, and these were really wonderful people. It is a very united community, so all those in the aviation community have communicated. These are really important people for us, so we are grateful for the support of our community,” Trevena added.
