Man Killed In N.J. Plane Crash Behind Daycare Center ID'd

A 50-year-old man who was killed in a plane crash behind a daycare center in New Jersey Saturday morning has been identified, fire officials said.

News12 confirmed Sunday that John Hannon died in the plane crash behind a Kiddie Academy in Essex County, a childcare daycare facility.

Relatives, friends and co-workers say Hannon ran a flight-training school out of the Monmouth and Lakewood airports, and liked to share his love of flying on his social media pages, according to the report.

The News Transcript captured the pilot’s expertise in a 2013 article:

“When Josh Eichel woke up on Nov. 23, 2012, he had yet to finish the six hours of driving school required to earn a learner’s permit. By the time he settled into bed that night, Eichel, 16, had completed the driving course, along with his first series of solo airplane flights at the Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall Township. The Marlboro resident’s dream took off when he was in eighth grade, after Eichel accompanied his rabbi and mentor, Don Weber, on a trip through the clouds.

“In less than a year, Eichel enrolled in flight school and began flying a two-seat plane under the direction of instructor John Hannon. Now, Eichel said, he knows the sense of liberation that comes with piloting an aircraft on one’s own.”

The crash happened behind 810 Passaic Ave. in West Caldwell, fire officials said.

>>Read more: UPDATE: One Killed In N.J. Plane Crash Behind Kiddie Academy

The plane was on fire at an intersection Saturday morning after crashing not far from the Essex County Airport, according to PIX11.

The Cessna 206 aircraft crashed about half-mile from Essex County Airport shortly after departing from Runway 22 at 10 a.m., according to Kathleen Bergen, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman.

The FAA is investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board will determine probable cause.

West Caldwell police Capt. Gerard Paris said his department received a call at 10 a.m. reporting that a plane crashed behind the daycare center. Paris said the pilot, a 50-year-old adult male, was killed, according to nj.com.

Photo: Renee Stoll ‏@ReneeStollABC7 Rescue workers heading to Cessna that crashed while taking off from Essex County Airport.