Skokie pilot, 3 grandchildren die in Michigan plane crash

A 73-year-old Skokie man and his three granddaughters - who were visiting from Israel - were killed in a plane crash near Mackinac Island in Michigan Tuesday night, authorities said.

Moshe Menora was taking his grandchildren on a plane trip when he encountered problems taking off and crashed on Highway 75, friends and family members said.

Three granddaughters, Rikki Menora, 16; Rachel Menora, 14; and Sara Klein, 17 were killed in the crash, authorities said, while Menora's 13-year-old grandson was thrown from the plane. He has been airlifted to a Michigan hospital with severe burns, authorities said.

The grandchildren had been visiting from Israel for about a week, Moshe Menora's widow, Sema Menora, told The Associated Press Wednesday.

She said the boy, Yossi Menora, suffered burns to half his body, and that the others died instantly.

The twin-engine Beechcraft Model 58 plane and was taking off from Mackinac County Airport in St. Ignace around 5 p.m. Tuesday when the plane encountered difficulties after becoming airborne, authorities said.

The plane tried to touch down on Interstate Highway 75, but struck the median barrier, flipping over and coming to rest on the shoulder of southbound I-75. No vehicles on the highway were involved in the crash.

Moshe Menora and his grandchildren took off about 10:15 a.m. Tuesday in the six-passenger plane from a small airport outside Chicago on a day trip to Mackinac, his widow said.

Moshe Menora had about 30 years of experience as a pilot.

"He just wanted to do something with the children for a few hours," Sema Menora said. "They wanted to go in the plane. It was a special treat and he was a very skilled pilot.

"He had a very good relationship with his grandchildren. He enjoyed flying and wanted them to be part of what he loved, and they loved it."

Sema Menora said she last spoke with her husband Tuesday morning before they left.

"I just said, 'Have fun, have a good trip and I'll see you for dinner,'" she said.

By dinnertime, a meal of baked salmon, mashed potatoes and salad was ready.

"I knew they would be starved," Sema Menora added. "They were coming back about 5:30 p.m. Something went wrong in the takeoff."

Sholom Menora, father of Rikki, Rachel and Yossi, told his mother from the Michigan hospital where Yossi was being treated, that the plane had split in half. The boy was in the rear of the plane at takeoff, Sema Menora said.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Associated Press contributed to this report.