A man sent a chilling message to his wife to say goodbye as the plane he was on board started going down due to technical failures.
Benjamin Chafetz, 45 and Boruch Taub, 40, from Cleveland, took off from JFK International Airport on the evening of Thursday, January 19, and were headed to the Cuyahoga County Airport.
They were on board a single-engine Beechcraft A36S and, shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported a loss of oil pressure.
Chafetz, the passenger, was able to "say goodbye" to his wife before the plane crashed.
In a text message, he wrote to her: "I love you and the kids. I am sorry for everything I have done. Aay rehillim. We lost engines. Call and have community say Tehillim."
Tehillim is the Hebrew term for the Book of Psalms.
Air traffic controllers of the Federal Aviation Administration lost radar and radio contact with the aircraft shortly after.
The plane went down and crashed in a wooded area about two miles away from Westchester County Airport, New York.
Officials say the pilot and passenger were members of the Jewish community in Cleveland.
Their bodies were located nearby, more than five hours after the crash, and after an extensive search, ABC News reported.
They were removed from the crash scene and released to family, so they can be buried in Ohio by sundown Friday, in accordance with Jewish traditions.
Both men were experienced pilots, according to reports.
Officials said the search effort was complicated by rain and thunderstorms, which prevented the use of drones in trying to locate the wreckage, and by the heavily wooded terrain.
Crews were ultimately able to use pings from the victims' cell phones to locate the downed plane, according to officials.
Officials say the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash.
The average price for a pre-owned Beechcraft Bonanza A36 is $240,000 (£200,000).
It was manufactured between 1970 and 2005, and requires a one person crew and can transport up to five passengers.
