Police ID 2 killed in Maryland small plane crash

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STEVENSVILLE, Md. - (AP) -- Police are identifying two people killed when a small plane crashed on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Maryland State Police said in a news release Wednesday that two Ellicott City residents, 63-year-old Richard Hess and his friend, 56-year-old Janet Metz, were killed in the crash near Bay Bridge Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Police say Hess was piloting the Van's Aircraft RV-12 when it crashed in an open field in Stevensville and burst into flames. According to the company's website, the plane is a two-seater that can be built from a kit or in a factory.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway says a preliminary report may be available next week, but it could take 12 to 18 months to determine the cause.