April 10: Firemen work at the scene where a small plane crashed into a house near the Biddeford, Maine (AP)
BIDDEFORD, Maine – A small plane crashed into a house in Maine and burst into flames Sunday evening, killing one person on the plane, authorities said. No one was home at the time of the crash.
The victim was believed to be the pilot of the single-engine plane, which crashed through the roof of the house near Biddeford Municipal Airport after 6 p.m., said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
There was no immediate word on what caused the crash or on the plane's destination.
Fifteen-year-old Josh Pelletier, who lives about 200 yards from the crash site, said he had been looking out a window and noticed a low-flying plane, but didn't hear any noises suggesting that it was having engine trouble. A few moments later, he heard a boom.
"It was a lot lower than usual," Pelletier said.
The homeowners, Kim and Steve Myers, said they had been out during the day, then returned at 5 p.m. and left again with their dog.
They said they were in shock upon returning and seeing the wreckage but were grateful to have been away when the crash occurred. They said they were told the plane went down nose-first on their roof.
"We're just thankful to be alive. It's a house. It's replaceable," Kim Myers said as she stood next to her husband, clutching her cocker spaniel.
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