A township in Indianapolis is mourning the loss of two volunteer firefighters who were killed in an airplane crash last night at the Marion Municipal Airport. The two Pipe Creek Township firefighters – Kyle Hibst and David Wittkamper – were taking a pleasure trip when the single-engine airplane they were in collided with a jet, according to news sources.
Airport officials said the firefighters’ Cessna 150 was taking off when it collided with a jet that was landing. The pilot of the Cessna 150 may not have seen the jet or thought that it had cleared the runway and that it was safe to take off.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement saying that the airport does not have an air traffic control tower and that pilots are expected to announce their intentions over radio.
The collision split the smaller plane in half, ejecting Wittkamper, who died on impact. A fire in the aircraft claimed the life of Hibst, who was piloting the plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.