New Year's plane crash in Oregon kills man from Seattle
Federal aviation officials and Josephine County sheriff's deputies were investigating whether the plane went down because of mechanical problems, the weather or both.
Yesterday, a pilot at the Illinois Valley Airport, who is not a part of the official investigation, said visibility was poor and the plane hit a tree.
The plane, a Piper Seminole, had left Oakland, Calif., headed for North Bend, Ore., according to an accident report posted on a Federal Aviation Administration Web site. About 30 miles northeast of Crescent City, Calif., the pilot declared an emergency, telling FAA officials the plane was icing and losing power.
The plane was directed to fly to Illinois Valley Airport for an emergency landing. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office sent deputies to the airport at 6:40 p.m. in anticipation of the landing, but they learned en route that the plane had already crashed.
Deputy Sara Nicholson said 27-year-old co-pilot Jeff Mclain, of Seattle, was dead when deputies arrived.
Passenger Ruri Murikani, a Washington resident, was admitted in critical condition to Three Rivers Hospital in Grants Pass, Ore. A hospital spokeswoman said yesterday Murikani had been transferred to a Seattle hospital.
Pilot Mark Ritchie, 23, of Olympia, was in stable condition yesterday at the Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, Ore.
Another passenger, 24-year-old Jacqueline Westfall, of Olympia, was in stable condition at Three Rivers Hospital.
"She's in a lot of pain," said Frederick Westfall, her father, but he added that she would be fine. He said he didn't know the friends she had flown with on New Year's Day.
The plane was registered to Piper Project II of Sumner, Pierce County, but leased by Auburn Flight Services of Auburn, Nicholson said.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report. Jane Hodges: 425-745-7813 or jhodges@seattletimes.com