Authorities say searchers have found the wreckage of a small medical transport plane in remote Northern California and that at least two people are dead.
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The pilot indicated he was going to fly back to Crescent City, but the FAA lost radar contact with the plane when it was about five miles northeast of the Arcata-Eureka Airport.
Officials confirmed Friday afternoon that the pilot, two crew members and a patient onboard the turboprop Piper Cheyenne aircraft died in the accident. The identities of those aboard were not released. “We have been told there were no survivors”. First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the patient and our crewmembers. We have critical incident stress management (CISM) teams in the area and we are doing all we can to help those involved.
“It’s heartbreaking, it’s very hard”, Wharton said. Don Wharton, a spokesman for REACH Air Medical Services, which is headquartered in Santa Rosa, said the aircraft carried a patient, pilot, nurse and paramedic.
The plane was found about 10 a.m. Friday on private timber company land in the Cranell area of Humboldt County located north of McKinleyville. At this time, we can not provide you with additional details or the identity of people aboard the plane.
The plane, a twin-engine Piper PA31, took off from the Del Norte County Airport and was on its way to Oakland when the pilot declared an emergency at about 1 a.m. due to smoke in the cockpit, according to a press release from the Humboldt County administrative office.
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The National Transportation Safety Board is set to arrive at the site Saturday morning.
