Authorities ID 2 killed in Chandler chopper-plane collision

CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities have identified the two people killed last week when a helicopter collided mid-air with a single-engine airplane outside a suburban Phoenix airport. Chandler police said Thursday that 34-year-old Michael Papendick and 27-year-old Jessica Brandal died at the scene by Chandler Municipal Airport. Police are not releasing the names of the two people who were on the aircraft. But they were not injured. The Friday morning collision caused a fire in a field that firefighters quickly put out. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration continue to investigate the incident. Chandler Municipal Airport is considered one of the nation’s 50 busiest general aviation airports.