Recovery efforts begin at US jet crash site; cause probed

AKRON — A mass-fatality team will begin working to recover the bodies of victims Wednesday after a small business jet slammed into an apartment building in Ohio, while investigators try to determine what caused the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and other officials planned to hold a news conference around noon (1700 GMT) at the crash site.

Authorities said no one aboard the 10-seat Hawker H25 jet survived on Tuesday, but they would not confirm the number of people on the plane. Plane owner Augusto Lewkowicz said two pilots and seven passengers were on board.

No one was inside the apartment building or another home that caught fire, said Lt. Sierjie Lash, an Akron fire department spokeswoman.

The jet took off from Dayton and planned to land at Akron Fulton International Airport, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from where it crashed. Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Bill Haymaker said it clipped utility wires on the way down and crashed into the building.

The plane burst into flames and disintegrated after impact.