Pacoima : 2 Men Who Died in Plane Crash Identified

Authorities on Wednesday identified two men who were killed last week when a private airplane they were flying plunged into the roof of an abandoned building in Pacoima.

The pilot, Mirhadi Gaskari, 48, of Vista, and passenger, Ahmad Rahbar, 46, of San Diego, both died of smoke inhalation and burns in Friday’s crash, said Scott Carrier, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. The men were flying a single-engine Rockwell Commander, which hit a lamppost and exploded after striking a transformer on a nearby power pole during takeoff from Whiteman Airport in Pacoima.

Following the explosion, the plane dove into an abandoned bakery on Osborne Street, authorities said. The cause of the crash is under investigation and could take up to a year to complete.