ASHLAND COUNTY, OH — A small plane bound for Scranton crashed into a home in Ashland County on Monday afternoon after what investigators believe may have been an engine failure, leaving the pilot and a passenger with minor injuries. Authorities said the aircraft first struck a cornfield before crossing into a private yard and hitting the house.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said troopers were dispatched around 2:41 p.m. to Township Road 523 in Montgomery Township. The plane, a 1968 twin-engine Beechcraft Baron B55, came to rest in a nearby farm field after the impact. One person inside the home when the plane struck it was not hurt.

Plane hit cornfield before striking a house and stopping in a farm field

Officials said the aircraft was traveling east from Vermilion, Illinois, toward Scranton when it encountered trouble. Preliminary information points to a possible engine failure, though investigators have not released a final cause.

Before the crash ended, the plane hit a cornfield, then continued into a residential property and struck the house. After that, it ended up in an adjacent farm field. The sequence suggests the pilot had little time to recover once the aircraft began losing control.

No broader damage assessment has been released, but the fact that the plane crossed from farmland into a private yard and then into a home underscores how quickly the emergency unfolded. Emergency crews remained at the scene as officials began their investigation.

Pilot and passenger treated for minor injuries at the scene

Troopers identified the pilot as Richard J. Nardone, 74, of Wapwallopen, and the passenger as Christina M. Stephens, 25, of Wilkes-Barre. Ashland Fire and EMS treated both people at the crash site and released them, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Authorities described their injuries as minor. No information was released about whether they were evaluated further after leaving the scene, and officials did not immediately say how the pair were seated inside the aircraft when the crash happened.

The outcome was far less severe than the damage to the property might have suggested. Even so, the incident left responders working around both a damaged aircraft and a home that had been struck by a plane.

Resident inside the home escaped without injury

One person was in the house when the plane hit, but that individual was not injured. Officials did not release that person’s name or describe exactly where inside the home they were at the time of impact.

The close call added another layer to a crash that could easily have turned more serious. A plane striking an occupied house often creates a risk not just from the impact itself, but also from fire, fuel leakage or structural damage.

A nearby farmer later told Cleveland 19 that he saw the crash, called 911 and rushed over to help. He said he smelled fuel as he approached the aircraft, though authorities have not said whether any fire followed the impact.

Responders from multiple agencies worked the crash site

The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Fire and EMS, and the Federal Aviation Administration all assisted at the scene. Their involvement signals both the immediate emergency response and the start of a formal aviation review.

Investigators have not announced whether the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance history or pilot communications will factor into the inquiry. For now, the crash remains under investigation, and officials have not released a timeline for when more findings may be available.

The plane was a Beechcraft Baron B55, a twin-engine aircraft manufactured in 1968. That detail matters because investigators will likely look closely at the age of the aircraft as well as the reported engine issue, but no conclusions have been announced.

Pilot described using his plane for dog rescues

Joe Lyons, a reporter with Ashland County Pictures, said he spoke with Nardone at the crash scene. According to Lyons, Nardone said he was in the middle of rescuing a dog in Illinois and has used his plane for hundreds of dog rescues, flying animals to new homes.

That account adds an unusual human-interest element to a frightening crash, though it does not change the official investigation into what happened in Ohio. Authorities have not commented on the dog rescue claim or said whether the trip was part of a broader volunteer or private effort.

Photos from the scene were provided by Ashland County Pictures. For now, officials are focused on determining why the plane lost power or control and how it ended up hitting a residence before coming to rest in a nearby field.