2 who died in crash of small plane into a Payson home ID’d

Authorities have identified a pilot and his female passenger who died in the crash of a small plane into a home in north-central Arizona.

Payson police said Monday that the victims were 63-year-old Craig Raymond McEntee and 56-year-old Marilee Marshall Brusaschetti.

Federal Aviation Administration officials say the single-engine Cessna 240 went down under unknown circumstances around 6:40 p.m. Saturday about 2 miles east of the Payson Airport.

Payson is about 90 miles northeast of Phoenix.

Authorities say the plane had taken off from Glendale Municipal Airport less than 30 minutes before the crash.

The home’s owner was watching TV when the plane sliced through the roof of the house, but he got out safely.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.