Phoenix-area man piloted small plane that crashed into Ohio home

Wreckage is strewn across the backyard of a home at the scene of a plane crash on Rollymeade Ave., Tuesday, March 12, 2019, in Madeira, Ohio. Authorities say a small plane has crashed into a house in a suburban Cincinnati community, killing the pilot. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
PHOENIX — A Phoenix-area man was identified as the pilot who was killed this week when a small plane crashed into a suburban Cincinnati house.
David Sapp, a 62-year-old Sun City man, was the pilot of the twin-engine Piper PA-31 Navajo that went down in the city of Madeira shortly before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Ohio’s State Highway Patrol said.
Madeira Fire Chief Steve Ashbrock said the plane hit a family room at the back of the home, and then went nose-first into the backyard.
No one was in the home at the time of the accident, and first responders were able to get two dogs out of the house safely.
The patrol said the plane was taking aerial photos and gathering geographic mapping information before it went down.
The plane was registered to Marc Inc., based in Bolton, Mississippi. The Associated Press left a message seeking comment for the company’s attorney.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate to determine what caused the crash.
Madeira is about 10 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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