Dental records awaited to identify pilots in crash

The identities of two pilots killed in a fiery plane crash near Van Nuys Airport will not be determined and released before the middle of the week, a county coroner’s official said Saturday.

Lt. Joe Bale said investigators were awaiting dental records to confirm that the two bodies recovered from the wreckage Friday are those of the veteran pilots scheduled to be aboard the Cessna Citation.

The ill-fated plane crashed about a half mile from the airport after taking off just before 11 a.m. At least one witness said he saw an open baggage door on the aircraft’s left front side shortly before it lost altitude and crashed into an open lot.