Plainville plane crash victims identified as family from TN

PLAINVILLE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- The three people killed when their plane crashed into a home in Plainville on Sunday have been identified.

The plane's occupants were family members from Knoxville, Tenn. Dr. Joseph Kalister, an experience pilot and also emergency room physician, his wife Betty Kalister, and their youngest daughter Nicole were heading to Boston area to go to Nicole's college orientation at Northeastern University and look for housing.

The Starr Regional Medial Center, the hospital where Dr. Kalister worked, released a statement on Tuesday, calling Dr. Kalister "an excellent doctor, an outstanding ED medical director and a respected, beloved member of our hospital team for the past 13 years."

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a Beechcraft BE36. The aircraft departed from Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania and was on its way to Norwood Memorial Airport. 

The plane crashed into a house on Bridle Path at around 5:45 p.m. Sunday. The home caught fire and became engulfed in flames. Firefighters from 10 communities responded to the scene to help with the multi-alarm blaze. The home suffered heavy damage, and it was a difficult fire to fight, officials said, due to the lack of fire hydrants on the street.

A family of four people, Carol and Aaron Rice and their two sons, were inside the home at the time of the crash, and all occupants were able to get out safely, which was "quite a miracle," said State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan.

>>See what the homeowner had to say Monday morning<<

The plane appears to have hit the house high at the back of the house, Plainville Fire Chief Justin Alexander said. A part of the plane's wing could be seen sitting in the driveway of the home, and other parts of the plane could be seen around the back of the home.

In recordings from before the crash the pilot had reported problems several minutes earlier. He was working with air traffic control to get to Route 495 but was unable to make it.

>>RELATED: Read a transcript of the pilots conversation with Air Traffic Control<<

One neighbor was grilling, and saw the plane take a sharp turn, and heard the engine sputter. The neighbor told FOX25 it appeared the plane would land on the road, but landed on the house instead.

Neighbors had begun planning fundraisers to help the Rice family, who lost most of their belongings in the fire.

>> RELATED: Plainville neighbors report seeing, hearing plane crash <<


A statement from the FAA said members of the agency are responding and will update with more information when it was available. The FAA and  the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Mobile app users, click here to view photos from the scene.

This is a developing story. Stick with myfoxboston.com for more updates as they become available.

Cox Media Group