Plane crash into Covington home kills pilot

A single-engine kit airplane crashed into a house Friday afternoon near Covington, killing the pilot, officials said.

The plane just had taken off from Crest Airpark and was trying to head north when it hit the house, said Kyle Ohashi, a Kent Fire Department spokesman.

A woman was at the house, in the 30400 block of 180th Avenue Southeast, but was not hurt, he said.

Firefighters from King County Fire District 44 received a call for help around 4:50 p.m. and responded within minutes.

The plane took out part of the roof and a room and crashed in the front yard, said Ohashi, who was answering media calls for the county fire district.

Officials have not released the pilot's identity.

The plane, a Thorp T-18, is certified by the federal government, said Mike Fergus, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, Fergus said.