The pilot of the aircraft that crashed yesterday east of Willits is on life support after suffering traumatic head injuries, a close friend of the family told us this morning.
Despite initial reporting, yesterday’s plane crash resulted in two parties injured, the pilot and his girlfriend. The pilot reportedly “sacrificed his body for his girlfriend and threw himself on her when he knew the plane was crashing” taking the hardest impact.
Information in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Accident and Incident Notification System stated the “aircraft experienced engine issues and crashed while landing on a private strip and caught fire.”
After the plane had crashed, the pilot’s girlfriend reportedly “grabbed him and pulled him out of the burning plane since he was unconscious.” She suffered internal bleeding requiring surgery. Meanwhile, the pilot is fighting for his life, a close friend told us.
Multiple sources have stated the crash did not occur at the Eden Valley Ranch airfield as originally reported, but at a recently installed airstrip located on private land.
The family friend confirmed that this is accurate. The airstrip they were attempting to land on is located on the property of the pilot’s father.
The pilot’s loved one refuted online claims that the pilot and his girlfriend were associated with the cannabis industry. “They are outdoor enthusiasts, adventure-seeking, hard-working individuals who got into a bad accident”, she told us.
Investigators identified the craft as a US-made Maule M-7, a single-engine light aircraft well-known amongst civilian aircraft.
Initial notes on the incident within The FAA characterized the event as an “accident” that resulted in a “serious” injury and “substatial” damage.
Previous Coverage
🙏 I’ll be praying for them. Stay hopeful.