2 dead as small plane crashes at Ohio car dealership

The pilot and passenger were the only people aboard the plane.

ByEmily Shapiro
October 19, 2022, 10:15 AM

A small plane crashed in a car dealership parking lot in Marietta, Ohio, Tuesday morning, leaving the pilot and a passenger dead, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The pilot and passenger were the only people aboard the twin-engine Beechcraft BE9L, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Police said no one on the ground was injured.

A small plane crashed in Marietta, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2022.
Houston Barber
First responders try to put out a fire after a small plane crashed in Marietta, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2022.
Houston Barber

They were identified by the state patrol as Eric Seevers, 45, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and Timothy Gifford, 49, of Orient, Ohio.

Eric Seevers is pictured in a selfie photo. Seevers has been identified as one of two victims who died in a small plane crash at a Pioneer Buick GMC car dealership parking lot in Marietta, Ohio on Oct. 18, 2022.
Kristin Sprouse

Gifford had recently retired from the Columbus Division of Fire, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX.

PHOTO: Timothy F, Gifford is pictured with Monica Durban in 2016, when they reunited after he saved her life. The retired retired Columbus firefighter is one of two victims who died in a plane crash at a car dealership in Marietta, Ohio on Oct. 18, 2022.
Timothy F, Gifford is pictured with Monica Durban in 2016, when they reunited after he saved her life. The retired retired Columbus firefighter has been identified as one of two victims who died in a small plane crash at a car dealership lot in Marietta, Ohio on Oct. 18, 2022.
Columbus Division of Fire

The accident at the Pioneer Buick GMC dealership sparked a fire that took about 30 minutes to extinguish, said Marietta police. Marietta is located in southeast Ohio along the West Virginia border.

There were no distress signals from the pilot or indicators that something was wrong, NTSB officials said Wednesday. An investigation is ongoing.

ABC News' Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.

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