CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Mike Brion had just put his daughters, 6 and 8, to bed at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday when he heard the noise — the sound of a helicopter crashing near his home.

“It sounded like a bomb going off in my yard,” said Brion, who has lived in the upscale development north of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, since 2005.

A helicopter traveling from Washington, D.C., went down in his neighborhood, killing the pilot and passenger. The helicopter’s frame was a pile of rubble in the middle of his yard. Pieces of the aircraft were scattered about. A piece of the helicopter was snagged in a tree.

Brion called 911 and went outside to investigate. Some of his neighbors came over to see what had happened.

He found the pilot, apparently dead, inside the helicopter. Brion hadn’t even known there was another body in his yard. The man’s body had been thrown into the back, dark corner of his yard, discovered by a police officer later.

It’s not uncommon for helicopters to fly over Brion's home. The development is in the flight path between Hershey and Carlisle and the Life Lion medevac chopper often flies over, transporting patients to and from the Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

Businessmen from New York state killed in helicopter crash

The two men – the pilot, Mark D. Croce, 58, and his passenger, Michael Capriotto, 63, both of Orchard Park, New York, just south of Buffalo – were traveling from Washington, D.C., to Buffalo when the crash occurred, according to authorities.

No one on the ground was injured, nor was any damage reported to homes in the development. Brion said the helicopter didn’t even hit his fence, the damage limited to a bush and a play set in the yard.

Croce, described as a very experienced pilot, was a well-known developer in Buffalo, credited with spearheading the city’s downtown resurgence.

“I am deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic passing of my dear friend Mark Croce," Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said in a statement posted on Facebook.

“As owner of the Buffalo Chophouse, the Curtiss Hotel and Statler City, Mark was a big part of our downtown resurgence, adding jobs for residents and creating destinations that have brought many visitors to the City of Buffalo. His presence will be sorely missed.”

Capriotto was a businessman and former village trustee in Orchard Park, known for his philanthropy and support of community organizations. Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw said, in a statement reported by the Buffalo News, that Capriotto “always said ‘yes’ and answered the call when people or charitable causes needed help.”

'Surreal' scene in Pennsylvania neighborhood

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. On Friday morning, investigators flew a small drone over the crash site in an apparent attempt to map the debris field.

Brion said debris from the helicopter was strewn for blocks throughout the development.

Neighbors said it was a miracle that nobody on the ground was injured or killed.

“It really is,” said Ralph Spangler, who lives about a block and a half away from the crash site.

Spangler said he and his wife were watching a show on Investigation Discovery when he heard the helicopter fly over, low.

“I could hear the props going, but it sounded funny,” he said.

Spangler walked by his neighbor’s house Friday morning to catch a glimpse of the crash site.

“It’s really weird,” he said. “I guess it could happen anywhere.”

Brion described the crash as “surreal” and “just about the most bizarre thing imaginable.”

“Just shock,” he said. “My daughters’ bedrooms are in the back of the house. How do I explain what happened to them?”