RUMFORD – The crash of a home-built ultralight aircraft into a towering pine tree has killed the two people aboard.

Steven Bernard, 40, of Rumford, the owner and pilot of the craft, was pronounced dead at the scene of the Thursday evening crash off Hall Hill Road. His only passenger, Terrie Davis, 39, also of Rumford, died of her injuries shortly after she was taken to Rumford Hospital.

Some onlookers said the small craft’s engine failed shortly before the 5:45 p.m. crash, but it was unclear if the failure occurred before or after the plane hit the crown of the 85-foot-tall tree.

The plane went down behind the home of Claudia Reynolds, who was in the house when the wreck occurred.

“I was making supper and heard an awful crack, and looked out and saw two people laying there on the ground,” she said. “There were two people in the ultralight – a man and a woman – and the man wasn’t moving.”

A section of bright-orange wreckage hung from the tree about 20 feet off the ground. Sheared off and broken branches higher up the tree indicated the impact site and fall zone.

The crash was under investigation by Rumford police. The Federal Aviation Administration does not investigate ultralight wrecks because the aircraft are not federally regulated. The State Medical Examiner’s Office was assisting in the investigation.