MESA, Ariz. -- Crews from the FAA and NTSB began investigating what caused an experimental aerobatic plane to crash Friday afternoon, killing two people.

Late Sunday, officials identified the pilot as James Clapper, 57. He had 20 years and 1,400 hours of flying competitive aerobatics.

The plane went down in a remote desert area about three miles east of Ironwood and Ocotillo Avenue, or near the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

The plane crashed as it was returning to the airfield, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.

The two bodies were found 10 to 20 feet from the aircraft, according to Rural Metro Fire Department's assistant fire chief.

The plane is owned by APS Emergency Maneuver Training, a company that trains people to fly in unusual conditions. The aircraft is technically identified as Extra Flugzeugbau, Model EA 300/L or Extra 300 for short.

"The type of manuevers they were doing during that flight were very basic, nothing advanced," said Paul Ransbury, president of Aviation Performance Solutions that owns the plane.

"It's very tragic," Ransbury said. "We're all former military fighter pilots so we know what it's like when somebody is in accident. You always hope for the best."

The FAA said it was not aware of any kind of distress signals prior to the crash.

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