SHARONVILLE, Ohio – Federal investigators on Saturday continued to probe the collision of two small aircraft that killed three people on board.
Debris from Friday afternoon's collision rained onto roads and backyards but missed those on the ground as rush hour approached.
Authorities released the names of two more victims Saturday. David Woeste Jr., 31, and Edward L. Hitchens, 65, both of Cincinnati, were aboard a Cessna 172, the State Highway Patrol said. It wasn't clear who was piloting the aircraft, the patrol said.
The pilot of the other plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, was identified Friday as Niels Harpsoe, 64, of suburban West Chester.
The Federal Aviation Administration had no information Saturday about the pilots' flight plans or why the aircraft were so close. Under federal regulations, the pilots were responsible for maintaining a safe distance on a clear, sunny afternoon.
A message seeking comment was left Saturday with the National Transportation Safety Board.
Blue Ash Airport, a runway used by small planes, is several miles away. Patrol Lt. Wayne Price said investigators assume both planes took off from there.
The planes' pilots were not required to file flight plans and apparently were not in contact with air traffic controllers, the FAA said.
No injuries were reported on the ground in the Cincinnati suburb of 14,000 people. Several vehicles and one house in had minor damage. The planes crashed at about 3 p.m. at two sites in an area with several well-traveled highways that were closed temporarily while investigators looked for debris..
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