OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
11:24 AM – Friday, May 15, 2026
A small, single-engine Piper PA-28 aircraft crashed into a residential home in Akron, Ohio, on Thursday afternoon, killing both occupants on board and sparking a massive fire.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane struck the house at approximately 3:45 p.m., causing the structure to immediately erupt into flames. A family of four — a couple and their two children — were inside the residence at the time of the impact but miraculously managed to escape the burning building unharmed.
Akron Fire Department District Chief Sierjie Lash confirmed to News5Cleveland that no one on the ground suffered injuries, and the identities of the two people killed in the aircraft have not yet been released.
“There were a couple and two children that live there,” Lash said. “They were all four home, and they were able to get out with no injuries, so we’re very fortunate that they are safe.”
“We arrived to heavy smoke coming out of the house, and we addressed it, approached it as a house fire,” she added, speaking to reporters.
Plumes of thick black smoke billowed from the suburban neighborhood as the fire consumed the residence, leaving only the plane’s tail section visible among the charred debris of the building.
The exact cause of the crash remains unclear and is currently under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Additionally, a nearby Topgolf location situated directly across the street from the accident site confirmed to Fox News that they are actively cooperating with local authorities as first responders assess the scene.
“The safety of our guests and team members is our top priority, and the venue has been evacuated,” a Topgolf spokesperson said. “We have no further details to share at this time, given the ongoing nature of the investigation, and our primary focus remains on the safety and support of all impacted during this time.”
American Winds College of Aeronautics, a local flight school operating in the area, confirmed that all of its aircraft are safe, accounted for, and were not involved in the incident.
“American Winds is deeply saddened to hear of a plane crash which has just occurred near the Akron Fulton Airport this afternoon,” the school wrote in a Facebook post. “We pray for the pilot, anyone on board and their families.”
A press briefing about the accident is scheduled to be held by the NTSB at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
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