Husband Grieves for Wife And Young Sons After Plane Crashes Into Home

— -- A Maryland man whose wife and two sons were killed after a private jet crashed through their home said he's grieving after the "horrific event," and trying to find some sense of normalcy for his surviving 5-year-old daughter.

Ken Gemmell and his daughter weren't home when the small plane crashed on Monday and one of its wings was catapulted into the family's home in Gaithersburg, Maryland, erupting into flames.

"No words can describe the enormity of our loss and sadness over yesterday's tragedy," he wrote on Facebook today. "We lost Marie, the love of my life and college sweetheart, and our two young, innocent, and joyful sons -- a loss that no person should ever endure."

"The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, and my daughter and I are appreciative for the prayers and well wishes from friends, neighbors and the community," Gemmell added. "We also appreciate the dedication and hard work of the firefighters, police and other first responders who did everything in their power to try to save my family during this horrific event."

He requested privacy as his family grieves, so that he can "provide my daughter with some degree of normalcy as we try to rebuild."

Marie Gemmell, 36, died with the couple's infant son and 3-year-old son in the family's second-floor bathroom, apparently trying to protect them from the smoke and flames, authorities said.

The three people who were aboard the plane, coming from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, also died. The crash is under investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board said today that there was no evidence of a bird ingestion into one of the engines.