Plane crashes near I-80 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Egla Negussie   
Wednesday, 06 April 2011 21:09

One person has been confirmed dead in a plane crash after debris from the plane was found Wednesday near mile marker 327 on I-80, according to the Albany County Sheriff's Office. 

“We received a 911 call at 9:08 this morning from a driver who observed the crashed plane 250 yards off the road,” Rob DeBree, Albany County undersheriff, said.  

The debris from the scene of a plane crash that left one dead Wednesday near mile marker 327 on the northbound side of I-80. (Photo by DJ Bowman.)
The debris from the scene of a plane crash that left one dead Wednesday near mile marker 327 on the northbound side of I-80. (Photo by DJ Bowman.)
The victim has not been identified. Following an autopsy examination, the investigation becomes federal responsibility, and so comments regarding autopsy results cannot be released, Kathleen Vernon, county coroner, said Wednesday afternoon.   

DeBree said that there was no one else involved in the accident.

The sheriff's department contacted the National Transportation Safety Board that handles plane crashes.

“They will pick up the investigation from here,” DeBree said. 

The plane was an Aviat model A-1C-180, and the NTSB transported it to a safe place in Greeley, Colo. for further investigation, Joshua Cawthra, aviation accident investigator, said. The specific Aviat model, also called a Husky, is a small plane with two seats provided in tandem. 

“I can’t speculate or provide any information regarding the potential cause of the accident,” Cawthra said. “We are gathering all factual information pertaining to the accident.” 

Some investigations procedures involve: questioning eye witnesses, an autopsy analysis, inspecting the history of the victim’s piloting experience, investigating the victim’s medical history, the environment (the weather condition at the time of the accident), and any other things that might have caused the accident, Cawthra said.   

According to the recent NTSB report there were 88 air carrier accidents reported in the year 2006. From the 88 accidents 13 of them resulted in human fatality. 

The investigation will continue and it will most likely take six months to a year, depending on the evidence found, to determine the cause of the accident, Cawthra said.


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