Two killed in light aircraft crash in Modi'in

Plane crashes in residential area; officials believe pilot experienced technical difficulties, attempted emergency landing.

Modi'in plane crash 311 (photo credit: Daniel Pearlman)
Modi'in plane crash 311
(photo credit: Daniel Pearlman)
Two men were killed on Friday when their civilian light aircraft crashed into a residential Modi’in street, close to homes in the area.
The pilot experienced technical difficulties, emergency services believe, and was trying to carry out an emergency landing before the fatal incident.
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The pilot, Elhanan Shmueli, a 55-year-old father of four from Modi’in, had been on a cellphone conversation with his wife down below shortly before the crash.
The second crash victim was named as 60-year-old father of three Shimshon Rozen, of the southern village of Timurim.
Shmueli attempted to guide his aircraft to a local field for an emergency landing, but did not reach the site, and came down on Modi’in’s Menachem Begin Street.
Upon descent, the plane’s wing struck a parked car, causing the crash.
Magen David Adom paramedics rushed to the scene and extracted the bodies of the crash victims.
Local residents described hearing a large crash.