GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Four of six people killed when a small jet crashed into a house in Gaithersburg, Md., on Monday have been identified.
The victims inside the house were identified as Marie Gemmell, 36, and her two sons, 3-year-old Cole and 1-month-old Devon.
Fire officials confirmed hours after the crash that the bodies of the mother and children had been found. They were listed earlier as unaccounted for.
Gemmel was found lying on top of the children in an apparent attempt to shield them.
Gemmell's husband and older daughter were not at home at the time of the crash, and were accounted for, police said.
The crash set off a fire that destroyed much of the house, and a neighboring house also caught fire.
The crash occurred about a mile from the Montgomery County Airpark. Officials said the plane, an Embraer EMB 500/Phenom 100 owned by Sage Aviation in Chapel Hill, N.C., was making its final approach.
The airpark has no traffic control tower and pilots land there without guidance.
Dr. Michael Rosenberg, founder and CEO of clinical research group Health Decisions, of Durham, N.C., was identified as being in the plane that crashed. The other two people in the plane were not identified.
A neighbor told WUSA-TV in Washington she thought she heard screams immediately after the crash.
"We're not completely sure it came from inside the house, but we did hear screams," she said.
A witness, Tracey Everett, told WRC-TV he saw the plane flying low overhead. The pilot appeared to be trying to get the two-engine jet under control before it went into a final barrel roll.
"You could tell he was struggling with the sticks. He was trying to pull up; he would gain a little elevation and then drop again," Everett said. "His wings were wobbling back and forth, very unsteadily."
Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, said there were three people on board the plane, which can seat four to six.
"No one was transported to a hospital," he said. "They were not able to survive the crash."
Piringer said three nearby houses were damaged by the crash.
Byron Valencia, who lives about half a mile away, said he was heating up a bottle for his baby son at the time of the crash, shortly before 11 a.m.
"I heard the plane come over the house," he said. "This one sounded like a jet, and then I heard a thump. It was pretty loud. I didn't see anything but then I heard the sirens."
