Two die in plane crash after wing comes off in midair
SCIO, Ore. - Two men died in a plane crash Monday when the wing separated in midair from their experimental 2-seat aircraft.
The victims have been identified as Timothy Dean Carter, 46, of Portland and Jeff Earl Kropf, 45, of Halsey, the Linn County Sheriff's Office said.
Carter owned the aircraft and had a private pilot license. Kropf had a commercial pilot license.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane eastbound, crossing Brewster Road, banking to the left over Highway 226.
While turning to the left, part of the wing became separated from the plane and fell onto Highway 226 north of Brewster Road.
The plane came to rest several thousand feet south of the intersection in a cow pasture.
The aircraft was a two seat experimental RV6 that was completed in 1996.
Investigators believe the aircraft departed the Lebanon Municipal Airport shortly before 3:30 p.m. on a pleasure flight.
The crash was reported to 911 at 3:37 p.m. Monday.
Firefighters from Lebanon and Scio responded to the scene.
As of 4:45 p.m., neither the Linn County Sheriff's Office nor the fire crews who responded were certain how many people were on board the plane or what exact type of aircraft crashed.
'The status of those on board is also unknown at this time," firefighters said in a press release.
KVAL News confirmed the two people aboard the plane perished in the crash at 7:37 p.m.
The Oregon Department of Transportation said Hwy 226 (the Albany-Lyons Highway) was closed 6 miles south of Scio until 8:30 p.m.
The crash did not occur on the highway but debris from the crash has landed on the highway, ODOT said.
Cheri Carter lives right across the highway from where the plane crashed.
"I saw a plane out in the field it was on its top and kind of bent up the front end," Carter said.
Carter said she and many other residents in Lebanon are still shaken up by what happened just hundreds of feet from where they live.
"It just bothers me to think that someone lost their life out there, it's sad," Carter said.
Jeff was a dear friend. Â He helped me in so,so many ways. Â We knew each other from back when we were school kids. Â He would come over to my house and we would work for hours helping wire up flight computers for my experimental low Earth orbit rockets. Â He took me up in his plane and after take off he let me take the controls and we flew for two hours. Â I will never forget his kindness to me and his love for me and how he would encourage me while my dealing with a terminal illness. Â He made me feel alive again. Â I love you Jeff and will miss you,but your are in Gods arms now and we will see you again soon...
Jeff, your voice of faith and courage will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, friend.
Its sad....another warrior of God is gone....Jeff was more on fire for God than most men I know....he is now with the one who created him....
RIP Jeff, thank you for being a friend, you will be missed!!!