2 dead from South Bend plane crash

A private Hawker Beechcraft 390 attempting to land at the South Bend Regional Airport crashed Sunday afternoon, resulting in two fatalities and three others injured.

South Bend Fire Department officials arrived at the airport at about 4:25 p.m. Sunday in reference to a plane experiencing difficulties, Assistant Fire Chief John
Corthier said.

Engine company members witnessed the crash while en route to the airport, he said, and the firefighters immediately reported to the site of the crash, a neighborhood near the 1600 block of North Iowa Street. At least three homes were also damaged in wake of the wreck.

Firefighters rushed to aid the pilot and three passengers inside the airplane, he said, and they removed the two surviving victims from the aircraft. Two victims were killed in the crash.

The two survivors were transported to Memorial Hospital of South Bend. As of about 3
p.m. Monday, one of the victims remained in serious condition, said Maggie Scroope, Memorial Hospital’s community and media relations manager. The other was in fair condition.

The crash resulted in the destruction of two homes, and a third house sustained damages. A resident of one of the destroyed houses was injured in the crash.

Firefighters were able to get the victim out of the house immediately after the crash.

The victim was in fair condition at Memorial Hospital as of 3 p.m. Monday.

The neighborhood was evacuated Sunday following the incident, Corthier said. At about noon Monday, residents began returning to their homes, although a perimeter remained in place as of 2 p.m. Monday.

The National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation of the crash.

— Kirsten Clark