Identities of Three Killed in Plane Crash After Ocean City Departure

A tragic plane crash has claimed the lives of three young men who departed from our community over the weekend, leaving investigators searching for answers about what caused the aircraft to go down in Maryland.

Maryland State Police have identified the victims as pilot Yoav Bomrind, 26, of Israel, and passengers David Rabinovitz, 19, of Israel, and Elad Neidik, 20, of Canada. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

The single-engine Piper Cherokee crashed Saturday night in a wooded area near Bowie, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. The aircraft had taken off from Ocean City and was headed to Montgomery County Air Park when it went down around 11:30 p.m.

Emergency crews were alerted to the potential disaster through modern technology. Prince George's County Public Safety Communications received an iPhone crash alert approximately 15 minutes after the crash, indicating a possible incident near the intersection of Routes 50 and 301. The automated alert, a feature designed to detect severe impacts and notify emergency services, proved crucial in locating the wreckage.

Search and rescue teams worked through the night, finally locating the wreckage around 3:45 a.m. Sunday in a wooded area near homes off Scarlett Oak Court. Fortunately, no injuries were reported on the ground despite the crash occurring near residential properties.

Investigators believe the aircraft is owned by a local flight school in Montgomery County and may have been used for a training flight. The presence of a pilot and two passengers suggests this could have been an instructional or familiarization flight, though authorities have not confirmed the specific purpose of the journey.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have launched investigations into the cause of the crash. These federal agencies will examine factors including weather conditions, mechanical issues, pilot experience, and flight path data to determine what led to this devastating accident.

The loss of three young lives—two from Israel and one from Canada—reminds our community of the inherent risks of aviation and the importance of flight safety. As investigators work to understand what happened, our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of Yoav Bomrind, David Rabinovitz, and Elad Neidik during this difficult time.