Investigators identify pilot, passenger killed when small plane crashed in New Jersey neighborhood

UPPER DEERFIELD TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) -- Investigators have identified the pilot and passenger who were killed Monday afternoon when a small plane crashed in Cumberland County, New Jersey.

The victims have been identified by New Jersey State Police as 24-year-old Kristofer Noone, of Pennsauken, and 67-year-old John Noone III, of Elmer. The two were father and son.

The crash was reported at about 2:15 p.m. on Parvin Mill Road in Upper Deerfield Twp.

The view from Chopper 6 showed a heavily damaged yellow single-engine Champion Aeronca 7AC at rest in a yard.

Investigators say the plane had just taken off from nearby Bucks Airport in Bridgeton.

John Noone IV spoke with Action News on Tuesday. He said his brother and father were beloved members of the aviation community.

"These guys were one of a kind, one in a million. If you had the pleasure of meeting them and knowing them you can attest to that," he said.

Moments after takeoff the single-engine plane did a nosedive and crashed about a quarter mile away.

"A large piece of me went down in the plane yesterday with them. It's forever changed my life. We will never be the same," said Noone.

Noone said his father and brother recently moved closer to him to start their own small aviation business.

Now, Noone said none of that matters in the absence of his loved ones.

"I don't even know what to do," he said. "I don't have anybody to talk to you about airplanes. They were my go-to guys. We lost two good ones, we lost two good ones."

The NTSB will look into several factors to get a full picture of the circumstances including the pilot, the plane, and the environment.