Two Couples Die as Small Plane Crashes 200 Feet From Airport
A private single-engine plane crashed on the front lawn of a home about 200 feet from an airport runway, killing all four people aboard, officials said.
Whitpain Township police said Friday that the four occupants were from Rochester, N.Y., and were badly burned.
They were identified as Marvin and Sophia Meyer and Bernard and Beverly Derman. All four were believed to be in their 60s, police said.
The Beech Sierra 200 plane was en route from Rochester to Wings Field, airport officials said.
Witnesses to the Thursday crash said the plane hit a tree and struck a set of electrical wires before hitting another tree, coming to rest about 10 feet from the house and bursting into flames.
Fred Berkobin, president of Pennsylvania Aviation, which operates Wings Field, said the pilot was in contact with the Wings Field control tower minutes before the crash but only wanted to know about wind conditions.
Police said the Dermans were planning to get off at Wings Field to visit relatives in the area, while the Meyers were to fly on to Annapolis, Md.
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