Homeowner speaks out after plane crashes into house, causing fire
An Ohio man is speaking out after a plane crashed into his Akron home on Thursday, setting the house on fire, as seen in video captured by passersby.
"It kind of hit the house and ... everything just shook," CJ Laudato, who was at home with his family when the plane struck his house, told ABC News in a segment that aired Friday morning on "Good Morning America."
Two people aboard the small plane died after the aircraft crashed into the house, causing a fire, authorities said.
The aircraft -- a 1963 Piper Cherokee single-engine -- had departed from Akron Fulton Airport and crashed around 3:45 p.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, FAA officials said in a statement Thursday. The NTSB is in charge of the investigation and will provide updates, according to the FAA.
The NTSB said in a press conference Friday that the plane that crashed was a training flight. A certified flight instructor was onboard along with the pilot, who was also the owner of the aircraft, the agency said.
NTSB investigator Aaron McCarter said based on preliminary information, the crash happened on a second runway approach. The agency said the pilot "overflew the runway, and during that time, something upset the aircraft, and the aircraft was seen by credible witnesses and doorbell cameras spiraling out of the sky from about 1,000 feet."
There was no distress call signal or communication relayed by the pilot prior to the crash, according to McCarter, who also said this could change as investigators receive more information.
Laudato said the crash sounded "just a loud bang, almost like a train, I guess, is the best way I can describe it."
Witness Jimmy Desci described the scene to "Good Morning America" in a separate interview, saying the crash "literally shook the whole foundation of everywhere around here."
Laudato said he was working in his basement while his children napped upstairs when the plane came crashing into his garage, igniting the blaze.
Video of the incident shows Laudato removing his children from the house and returning to the burning structure to retrieve his dog.
He said he and his family ultimately escaped the scene with no injuries.
He added that the family was fortunate the plane hit his garage and truck instead of the basement where he was located at the time, "or higher up where my kids were napping."
The Laudato family said the community has since stepped up to help, providing them with meals and assisting them in their next steps to recover from the crash.
A relative of the family has also set up a GoFundMe to support the family as they rebuild, Laudato said.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include new information on the plane crash from the National Transportation Safety Board.
