A small plane crash in central Ohio kills 2. The cause is under investigation

MARION, Ohio (AP) — A small plane crash in central Ohio claimed the lives of two people on Tuesday, authorities said.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the aircraft went down into a bean field at about 11:30 a.m. in Pleasant Township about 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) southwest of the Marion Municipal Airport in Marion County.

Authorities said both occupants died and the single-engine Piper Cherokee Six sustained major damage. The names of the victims weren’t released pending positive identification.

The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and Sgt. Ryan Purpura of the Highway Patrol told WCMH-TV that federal investigators were expected to be on the scene Wednesday.