Indian-origin doctor couple, daughter killed in a plane crash in US

Washington An IndianAmerican doctor couple and their 19yearold daughter were killed instantly when their small private plane crashed in the backyard of a suburban Philadelphia home on Thursday morning authorities said The victims have been identified as 60yearold Dr Jasvir Khurana his wife 54yearold Dr Divya Khurana and their daughter Kiran Khurana The family has one surviving daughter who was not on the plane US media outlets reportedKhurana a licensed pilot was at the controls of the 44yearold aircraft which was registered to him The Philadelphia Inquirer reported The husbandandwife physicianresearchers both trained at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS and moved to the United States more than two decades agoThe National Transportation Security Board NTSB said the plane left Northeast Philadelphia Airport shortly after 6 am and was heading to The Ohio State University Airport in Columbus The flight lasted for about three minutes before the singleengine Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft went down The planes final destination was supposed to be St Louis CBS News reported Police arrived at the crash site shortly after receiving a 911 call around 620 am and found the bodies of all three family membersDebris could be seen strewn across a length of more than a football field that covers four yards The aircraft came to rest in a wooded area after striking the ground a gazebo backyard shed fence and several trees NBC News reported No one on the ground was injured the Upper Moreland Township Police saidThe plane hit several trees before it stopped and the debris was spread across four backyards said Upper Moreland Police Chief Michael Murphy said during a press briefing It crashed into a yard and eventually continued on and hit several trees and a shed in a yard before coming to rest in the woods he said Its a strictly residential neighbourhood I dont know what the pilot was thinking or what he was doing but it is a miracle that no homes were struck Murphy saidDr Khurana was a faculty member in the Department of Pathology at Temple University where he studied bone pathology Dr Khurana has been a valued faculty member in the Department of Pathology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University since 2002 Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones the university said in a statement His wife Dr Divya Khurana was a doctor at St Christophers Hospital for Children Divya was loved by her patients and students alike Her sudden passing has left a void in the hearts of all who knew and loved her St Christophers said in a statementKiran their younger daughter graduated last year from Harriton High School in Bryn Mawr where she was on a nationally ranked squash team and was active in theatre productions Chris Crane told Eyewitness News that he heard a thunderous bang and his house shook when the small plane crashed in his neighbours backyard I thank God that it missed our homes Crane saidCrane added that there was a strong smell of fuel following the crash When I walked outside all you could smell was fuel no flames no anything else but the smell of fuel was strong Crane said Faith Stander lives a few doors down from the Khuranas They were just wonderful lovely sweet neighbours said StanderAdam Gerhardt an air safety investigator for the NTSB told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the investigation would last several days A preliminary report is expected in 10 to 15 days and a final report within a year the report saidThere is no indication the pilot made a distress call and the plane was only in the air about three minutes before the crash the Associated Press quoted Gerhardt as sayingCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates