ROCHESTER, Wash.
Two men died Friday in a plane crash in the hills above South Sound Speedway near Rochester.
West Thurston Regional Fire Authority Captain Lanette Dyer said the men were in their mid 20s to 30s and were flying an experimental home-built open cockpit plane.
Dyer said it is unclear where the plane took off from, but it was heading south when it crashed about 3 miles off Old Highway 99.
The crash was witnessed by logging company workers in the area who called 911 at about 11:30 a.m. Both men were dead by the time emergency crews reached the scene.
The men’s names were not released. Dyer said it is unclear if either man was a licensed pilot.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified and investigators are en route to lead the investigation.
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Two die in Thurston County plane crash
Two men died when their experimental plane crashed on Friday in Thurston County.
Author: KING Staff
Updated: 4:10 PM PDT September 14, 2018
ROCHESTER, Wash.
Two men died when their experimental, home-built plane crashed on Friday.
The crash occurred in a logging area in the hills above the South Sound Speedway, according to West Thurston Fire.
According to Allen Kenitzer with the FAA, the aircraft was an experimental single-engine HXA Beelzebub Airplane with an open cockpit.
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ROCHESTER, Wash. -
A small, home-built plane crashed in a wooded area in Thurston County Friday morning, killing both men on board, according to fire officials.
The plane was reported to go down in the hills above the South Sound Speedway in Rochester. Firefighters later said they found the small plane in the trees.
Officials said two men in their 20s died in the crash, which involved an experimental single engine HXA Beelzebub Airplane with an open cockpit.
The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash.
The victims' names have not been released.
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Narrative:
The experimental single engine plane with an open cockpit crashed under unknown circumstances in a wooded area. The both occupants died.
The aircraft has been identified by the FAA as a 'HXA Beelzebub', according to KING5.com. HXA refers to the FAA homebuilt and experimental category designator used for aircraft with cruise (indicated) airspeeds of 100 knots or less.
The 'Beelzebub ' model does not appear as such on the FAA register.
Sources:
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/two-die-in-thurston-county-plane-crash/281-594401871?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5b9c1ddc04d3012cb09f68c3&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
https://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/2-dead-in-plane-crash-in-Thurston-County-13230595.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
HXA: http://tfmlearning.faa.gov/Publications/atpubs/ATC/AppdxC.html
Date: 14-SEP-2018
Time:
Type: Beelzebub ultralight
Owner/operator: Private
Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: South Sound Speedway, Rochester, Thurston County, WA -
United States of America Phase:
Nature: Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport: