Saturday, May 9, 2015

2 MORE PAY THE PIPER: A PIPER PA46, CRASHED IN THE SPOKANE RIVER. THE PILOTS DIED OF BLUNT IMPACT CHEST INJURIES





MAY 9, 2015

SPOKANE, WASH. (AP)

Autopsies show that two men killed when a small plane crashed into the Spokane River died of blunt impact chest injuries, the Spokane County medical examiner's office said Friday.

The men who died Thursday have been identified as Lyndon Amestoy, 60, and Richard Runyon, 64. Officials did not know which man was the pilot. The men were underwater for about 30 minutes before divers pulled them free.

The plane, a Piper PA46, remained submerged in the river. A salvage company planned to bring in some air bags that will be inflated to float the aircraft to the surface Saturday so it can be dragged to shore, KXLY-TV of Spokane reported.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. 
The men had reported engine trouble and the pilot tried to make an emergency landing at Felts Field — a small public airport along the north bank of the Spokane River.

The state Department of Ecology was called to the scene to oversee cleanup of a leak from the plane's fuel tank.

Witnesses said they could tell something was wrong with the plane as its engine was spattering.

Date:
07-MAY-2015
Time:
16:00
Type:
Owner/operator:
Flying Colors Aviation LLC
Registration:
N962DA
C/n / msn:
46-36031
Fatalities:
Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:
0
Airplane damage:
Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:
Spokane River near Felts Field Airport (KSFF), Spokane, Washington - http://aviation-safety.net/database/country/flags_15/N.gif  United States of America
Phase:
Take off
Nature:
Test
Departure airport:
Felts Field (KSFF)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing at nearby Felts Field but didn’t make it.
The plane with two men aboard crashed and sank in the Spokane River. The two men were fatally injured.
Sources: