Highway Patrol identifies victims of local plane crash

FOWLER, Ohio (WKBN) — The Ohio State Highway Patrol has identified the victims of a fatal plane crash near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport on Friday.

The pilot was identified as Jawdat Khawam, 54, of Laval, Quebec. The two passengers were identified as Martine Arseneault, 45, of Laval, Quebec; and Daphne Khawam, 8, of Laval, Quebec, according to a news release from the Highway Patrol.

“We lost a family of three out there,” said Lt. Dan Morrison, with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The crash happened about 7 p.m. at the end of runway 14. The Beechcraft B-60 took off from Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, New York. Investigators say the plan was to land at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport to refuel and rest before continuing on to California and then Texas.

Morrison said the investigation revealed the pilot was experiencing left engine failure and circled the airport twice before trying to land, overshooting the runway.

“He began to accelerate to take off again and at that time, he lost control and went into a downward spiral to the ground,” Morrison said.

At the crash scene, you can still smell smoke and see the area that was charred by the crash. A small memorial is placed honoring the lives lost.

“It’s very sad. I feel very bad for the families,” Morrison said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the scene shortly after the crash. NTSB said investigators were on site Saturday to document the wreckage, which will be moved to a secure facility for further investigation.

According to NTSB, the investigation process will involve three areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days. A final report can be expected in 12 to 24 months, which will include a probable cause of the crash and any contributing factors.

Information will be gathered on:

• Flight track data
• Recordings of any air traffic control communications
• Aircraft maintenance records
• Weather forecasts and actual weather and lighting conditions around the time of the accident
• Pilot’s license, ratings and recency of flight experience
• 72-hour background of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safety operate the flight
• Witness statements
• Electronic devices that could contain information relevant to the investigation
• Any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras

The NTSB is asking anyone who has witnessed the accident, has surveillance video or knows any relevant information to contact the board at witness@ntsb.gov.

A viewer driving by the crash took photos of the aftermath shown below.

Janice Thomas lives nearby and described hearing the plane flying over before crashing.

“It was just a strange, strange sound — that whining and getting louder and louder, but I didn’t realize till the 11 p.m. news that it was actually the plane that crashed. So, that shocked me. My prayers are out for the families that were involved. It’s really sad,” Thomas said.

Erin Yudt, Chelsea Simeon and Wilson Corbisello contributed to this report.

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