Firemen comb through plane wreckage Photo D. O'Malley
The two men killed when their plane crashed in the yard of a home in Sugar Grove Township this weekend have been identified as Drago Strajiha, 32, of Lake Worth, Florida and pilot Gary Lee Bradford, 37, from Hollywood Florida.
The twin engine Piper Aerostar crashed shortly after takeoff from Aurora Municipal Airport at about 7p.m. last night, according to the Kane County Sheriff's department.
The plane hit the ground and broke apart just feet from a home on 43W420 Old Oak Road.
Wreckage was found on both sides and in front of the house. A portion of the home's garage caught fire and there is a sizable hole on one side of the garage. (See slideshow)
Two adults and two children in the house at the time of the crash were not injured. Kane County Lt. Pat Gengler said the family was waiting for the scene to be cleaned up and power restored to the home before they would return.
Crews were at the scene today clearing away the wreckage. The crash site is in a wooded community of large homes directly across from Waubonsee Community College on IL. Route 47. It is about a mile from the airport.
This is the second plane crash this month in the Chicago area.
On January 4, a cargo jet crashed in the Des Plaines River near Wheeling while coming in for a landing at the Chicago Executive Airport.
The pilot and co-pilot died in that crash. (story link below)
Investigation underway into fatal cargo plane crash in Des Plaines River video/slideshow
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