EDMOND — A 62-year-old Edmond pilot reported running out of fuel before his plane crashed Sunday afternoon near Guthrie east of Interstate 35, officials said.
At about 3:30 p.m. a 1964 fixed-wing single engine Piper Cherokee appeared to be traveling southbound and descended into a power pole before striking the ground, according to information released by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The aircraft then turned 180 degrees before coming to a rest against a tin metal shed at in the zero block of Bogey Drive, troopers said. The pilot and a passenger were pinned for about one hour before being freed by the Guthrie Fire Department, troopers said.
Darrell Allen Smittle, 62, of Edmond, was pronounced dead at the scene by the medical examiner due to injuries sustained in the collision, troopers said.
Passenger Darrell Stewart Smittle, 41, of Edmond, was transported by an air ambulance to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where he was admitted in serious condition, troopers said. Monday morning he was listed in critical condition, hospital spokeswoman Natalie Fix said.
Passenger Joshua Smittle, 11, of Norman, was transported by Guthrie EMS to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where he was admitted in stable condition, troopers said. He was later released, Fix said.
Monday morning, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation. He said an investigator likely would be at the scene sometime today. Lunsford confirmed that the pilot reported running out of fuel before the crash. At the time, skies were clear, troopers said.
According to the FAA registry, the aircraft’s individual registration was valid through March 2012. It was owned by Darrell Allen Smittle. The plane was a Piper PA-28-140.
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