NTSB Identification: CEN12FA586
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 29, 2012 in Canton, MO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/07/2014
Aircraft: PIPER PA-23-150, registration: N1486P
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
A witness, who was a private pilot, stated that he observed a twin-engine airplane flying overhead on a northerly heading. He reported that the airplane was about 2,000 feet above ground level in level flight and that the left propeller blades were not rotating. The accident site, located in an open field with obstacles, including rolling hills, woods, and roads, was about 6.5 miles from the private pilot’s location. Evidence indicated that the airplane struck a tree in a near wings-level attitude. Larger fields and flatter terrain with fewer obstacles were located northwest of the apparent route of flight (the airplane’s actual flight route was unknown), and, if the pilot had landed in one of these areas, he would have had a greater opportunity for a successful forced landing. However, the airplane was near or exceeded its maximum takeoff weight upon departure. According to the accident airplane’s climb chart, the airplane was unable to maintain altitude when the left engine lost power due to its excessive weight and single-engine performance, the existing high-density altitude (2,963 feet), and, possibly, the pilot's execution of single-engine flight procedures, which left the pilot fewer options to reach a more suitable landing location.
Evidence indicates that the left engine experienced a total loss of power. The spark plugs in the Nos. 1, 2, and 4 cylinders, which had fuel primer lines attached, exhibited carbon-fouling, indicating that a rich-fuel mixture existed at the time of the accident and that the pilot most likely unsuccessfully attempted to regain the left engine’s power by using the fuel primer to prime the cylinders.
The left wing gascolator bowl was removed and a blue silicon jell-type sealant was found covering about two-thirds of the area of the bowl's circumference and the area where a gasket is typically placed; however, no gasket was found in the gascolator. The blue silicon jell was consistent with Permatex Blue Silicon Gasket Maker, which has the following note in its directions: "NOTE: Not recommended for use on head gaskets or parts in contact with gasoline." If the gascolator seal is breached, air can enter the fuel system and possibly unport the carburetor, which would cause an uncommanded engine shutdown due to fuel starvation. The pilot was also an airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization. He performed the last annual maintenance inspection of the airplane and subsequent aircraft maintenance. He likely improperly used the blue silicon sealant during maintenance operations.
Although the autopsy and toxicological examinations revealed that the pilot possibly had significant health issues, no evidence was found indicating that the pilot was incapacitated during the flight.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's improper decision to attempt to execute a forced landing to an open field with obstacles. Contributing to the accident was the left engine’s total loss of power due to fuel starvation as a result of the introduction of air into the fuel system through a gascolator seal breach and the pilot’s use of an improper substance on the left wing gascolator bowl during maintenance operations, which led to the gascolator seal breach.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On August 29, 2012, about 1800 central daylight time, a Piper PA-23-150, N1486P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a partial loss of power when it impacted trees and terrain about 3 miles southwest of Canton, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight, which was not on a flight plan, departed from Pinckneyville-DuQuoin Airport (PJY), Pinckneyville, Illinois, about 1600, and was en route to the Antique Airfield, a private airstrip near Blakesburg, Iowa.
A witness reported that the route of flight that the pilot commonly traveled from PJY to Blakesburg was direct from PJY to the airport at Litchfield, Illinois, and then west to the Mississippi River, while staying clear of the St. Louis Class B airspace, and then north following the Mississippi River to Blakesburg. Using that route of flight, the distance from PJY to the accident site was about 187 nautical miles. At an average airspeed of 120 knots, the time en route was calculated to be about one hour and thirty-five minutes. The airplane was flying under visual flight rules and the transponder code was 1200. There was no radar track data available that identified the airplane or its actual route of flight. There were no witnesses to the airplane's impact with terrain.
A witness, who was a 75-hour private pilot, stated that he was in the parking lot at the Wakonda State Park around 1800 to 1830 when he observed a twin-engine airplane flying overhead on a northerly heading. He reported that the airplane was about 2,000 feet in level flight, and that the left propeller blades were not rotating. The accident site was about 6.5 miles north of the parking lot.
A witness, who lived about a quarter mile from the accident site, reported that about 1745 he observed a low flying airplane and heard a "crunching" sound, but there was no smoke or other evidence to indicate the airplane crashed. He later observed the airplane wreckage in a field when he was driving by and he notified local authorities of the accident.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The 74-year-old commercial pilot held single-engine land, single-engine sea, and multi-engine land ratings. He held a third-class medical certificate that was issued September 10, 2010. The pilot's logbook was destroyed in a hangar fire in August 2011. Remaining pilot records indicated that the pilot had about 6,459 total flight hours and 809 multi-engine hours. It is unknown how many hours he had flown in the make and model of the accident airplane. The pilot also held an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic's rating and had inspection authorization (IA). The airplane was purchased by the pilot on October 15, 2011. He performed the last annual maintenance inspection of the airplane and subsequent aircraft maintenance.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane was a twin-engine Piper PA-23-150, serial number 23-255, manufactured in 1956, powered by 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engines. It was manufactured with a "Super Custom" configuration which included two 18-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks and a fifth passenger seat, and it had a maximum gross weight of 3,500 pounds. The airplane's original logbooks were lost or destroyed in 1995, and the first entry in the current logbooks was dated October 1, 1995. The available airplane records indicated that the airplane total time was 5,724 hours; and the left engine total time was 3,609 hours, with 1,773 hours since major overhaul (SMOH); and the right engine total time was 3,624 hours, with 1,567 hours SMOH. The last annual inspection was completed on October 15, 2011, but no total airplane time or engine time was shown on the logbook entry. The logbook entry was made by the accident pilot/IA. The airplane had flown about 21 hours since March 10, 2010.
The last available weight and balance found for the airplane dated back to 1962, and the empty weight listed was 2,348 pounds. A witness reported that the airplane was topped off before the flight. A fuel receipt showed that 62.23 gallons of fuel were purchased by the pilot about 1508 on the day of the accident at the Sparta Community Airport (SAR), Sparta, Illinois, located about 19 nautical miles northwest of PJY. The airplane's main fuel tanks held 72 gallons of fuel which weighed 432 pounds. It is not known if the auxiliary fuel tanks contained any fuel. The total weight of the pilot and passenger was about 410 pounds. The baggage found at the accident site was weighed and it totaled about 320 pounds. The 4 gallons of oil weighed 30 pounds. The estimated takeoff weight of the airplane was about 3,540 pounds, not including any fuel that might have been in the outboard auxiliary fuel tanks. If the auxiliary fuel tanks were topped off, the takeoff weight of the airplane was about 3,756 pounds.
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
At 1754, the surface weather observation at the Quincy Regional Airport-Baldwin Field (UIN), Quincy, Illinois, located about 20 miles southeast of the accident, was: wind calm; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 33 degrees Celsius; dew point 15 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.02 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane impacted trees and terrain in an area of rolling hills, woods, and open fields. A tree about 60-70 feet in height was initially impacted. An 8-foot outboard section of the left wing was found about 30 feet from the tree in the debris field that was on a 100 degree magnetic heading. The leading edge of the wing section exhibited a semi-circular indentation, which was consistent with a wings level impact with the tree. The left propeller was found along the tree line stuck in the ground in a near vertical position. The initial ground scar from the airplane impacting the ground was found about 93 feet from the initial tree strike. The main wreckage came to rest about 40 feet from the initial ground scar with the wreckage facing in the opposite direction of the debris field. There was no post impact fire, although there was evidence of fuel blight in the vegetation and trees. A tree branch about 6 inches in diameter was found with a diagonal slash through it that was consistent with a propeller slash with paint transfer.
The fuselage was found on its right side on top of the right wing in the field. The nose section was compressed back to the instrument panel, and the cockpit sustained significant structural deformation. The avionics and instruments were impact damaged. The right engine's oil temperature, oil pressure, and fuel pressure gauge needles were all found in the operating range; the left engine's oil temperature, oil pressure, and fuel pressure gauge needles were all found at low or zero readings. The engine power lever quadrant was separated from the instrument panel mounting. The controls were impact damaged, but there was very little movement of the levers when they were manipulated. The right engine's throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were found positioned forward; and the left engine's throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were found pulled back relative to the right engine's control levers. The fuel control panel, which was mounted between the front seats, exhibited light impact damage. Both left and right engine fuel primers were found in the locked position. The fuel tank selector levers were found in the main tank position for both wings with the levers mechanical detent locking guards in place. The cross feed lever was in the off position. The landing gear control lever and the flap control lever were found in the up position. The pilot seats remained attached to their seat tracks, but the seat tracks were partially separated from the cabin floor. About 320 pounds of cargo, consisting mostly of camping equipment, food, clothing, and tools, were found in the aft cabin. Flight control continuity from the airplane's controls to their respective control surfaces was not established due to the extensive impact damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage; however, all separations were consistent with overload failures.
The empennage remained loosely connected to the fuselage, but was found lying at an approximately 90 degree angle to the fuselage. The horizontal stabilizer and vertical stabilizer remained attached together, and the elevator and rudder remained attached at their hinge points.
The right wing was partially attached to the fuselage. The leading edge exhibited accordion type aft crushing. The flap and aileron remained attached to the wing. The landing gear was found in the retracted position. Both the inboard and outboard fuel tanks were breached. Their fuel caps were loose in the fuel tank filler neck and could be removed without loosening the caps adjuster lever. The outboard tank cap had a vent hole drilled through it. The right wing gascolator bowl was missing from impact damage. The engine nacelle was impact damaged. The engine was loosely attached to the wing, but the propeller was separated from the engine.
The left wing was separated from the fuselage. The 8-foot outboard section contained the outboard fuel tank, the aileron with the balance weight attached, and the outboard flap section. The fuel cap was located in the outboard fuel tank filler neck. It could be removed without lifting the expansion lever, and it had a vent hole drilled through it. The outboard and inboard section of the wing exhibited accordion type aft crushing. The landing gear was attached to the inboard section of the wing. The left engine was separated from the left wing, and the propeller was separated from the engine.
The left wing gascolator bowl was removed and found to contain a blue silicon jell type of sealant that covered about two-thirds of the area of the bowl's circumference, and the area where a gasket is typically placed. No propagation of the blue jell substance was found in the adjacent fuel pump screens or fuel lines. No gasket was found in the gascolator. The blue silicon jell found in the gascolator was observed to deteriorate gradually after it was removed from the airplane wreckage. The amount of jell was substantially less than what was first observed after a two day period. Fuel was found in the bowl and Kolor Kut was used to check for water with only a trace amount found.
The engines were inspected at the Canton R-V Fire Protection District fire house. The right engine was rotated by hand using a tool inserted at the vacuum pump drive pad. The crankshaft and camshaft rotated, all accessory gears rotated, and the valves and rocker arms were observed rotating. Thumb suction and compression was observed on all cylinders. Both magnetos were rotated and spark was observed on all outlet points. The carburetor was broken by impact and separated at the throttle plate. The composite floats were destroyed by impact, and the fuel inlet screen was not recovered. The engine driven fuel pump was actuated and it displaced fuel. The captured fuel was tested for water and none was observed. The spark plugs exhibited a color consistent with normal combustion when compared to the Champion Spark Plug Wear Guide.
The left engine was rotated by hand using a tool inserted at the vacuum pump drive pad. The crankshaft and camshaft rotated, all accessory gears rotated, and the valves and rocker arms were observed rotating. Thumb suction and compression was observed on all cylinders. Both magnetos were rotated and spark was observed on all outlet points. The carburetor was broken by impact and separated at the throttle plate, and the composite floats were destroyed by impact. The fuel inlet screen was examined and it displayed no contaminants. The engine driven fuel pump was actuated and it displaced fuel. The captured fuel was tested for water and none was observed. All of the spark plugs were observed carbon fouled except for the No. 3 cylinder spark plugs, which exhibited a color consistent with normal combustion when compared to the Champion Spark Plug Wear Guide. The Nos. 1, 2, and 4 cylinders had fuel primer lines attached to the cylinders; the No. 3 cylinder did not have a fuel primer line attached.
The right propeller marked "A" exhibited gouges along its leading and aft edges. The blade exhibited chordwise scratching and tip curl. The blade marked "B" had about the outboard 8 inches of the blade tip missing. The inboard section of the blade was bent forward at the fracture and red paint transfer was present on the fracture surface.
The left propeller blades exhibited much less impact damage than the right propeller blades. The blade marked "A" did not exhibited leading edge gouges, but it did have two gouges on the trailing edge. The blade marked "B" exhibited no chordwise scratching, or leading or trailing edge nicks or gouges. Both blades exhibited some blade twist or bending to the low pitch setting. The blade hub fractures did not exhibit fractures consistent with torsional signatures, and both blades were loose in the propeller hub.
The NTSB retained the fuel primers and spark plugs from both engines for further testing. An iFly GPS unit was found in the airplane and it was retained for examination.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy of the pilot was conducted on August 31, 2012, at the Boone/Callaway County Missouri Medical Examiner's office. The "Cause of Death" was noted as "blunt trauma to the head, trunk, and extremities secondary to an airplane crash." A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was prepared by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. The results were negative for carbon monoxide and cyanide. 15 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol was detected in the urine, but none in the blood. N-propanol was detected in the urine. 0.018 (ug/mL, ug/g) of cetirizine was detected in the blood and it was detected in the urine. Glucose was not detected in vitreous. 171 (mg/dl) glucose was detected in urine. 8.6(%) hemoglobin A1C was detected in blood.
Cetirizine is an over-the-counter sedating antihistamine used to control allergies. The therapeutic low level is 0.1900 ug/mL, and the high therapeutic level is 1.4500 ug/mL.
Postmortem urine levels of glucose above 100 mg/dL are considered abnormal. Hemoglobin A1C blood levels above 6% are considered abnormal.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
The iFly GPS unit was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Records Laboratory for examination. The unit still operated; however, the Scan disk flash card that stored the non-volatile memory was not in the GPS unit's flash card slot, and it was not found at the accident site.
The fuel primers for both engines were examined for leaks by testing them on a fuel bench and applying vacuum pressure to the primers. No leaks or other anomalies were observed.
The eight spark plugs from the left engine were examined. Both spark plugs from the Nos. 1, 2, and 4 cylinders exhibited carbon fouling. All eight spark plugs from the left engine were installed in a Piper Cherokee with a 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engine. The engine started immediately and operated normally at all power settings.
On June 18, 2013, an exemplary Piper gascolator was filled with Permatex Blue RTV Silicone Gasket Maker in the area where a normal gasket sits. The gascolater bowl was secured to the base of the gascolator and was filled with 100 low lead aviation fuel for a 24-hour period. The gascolator was opened and the blue RTV silicone was observed to have expanded inside the gascolator bowl, which was similar to the blue silicone jell observed in the accident airplane's left wing's gascolator. The directions for using Permatex Blue RTV Silicon Gasket Maker states: "NOTE: Not recommended for use on head gaskets or parts in contact with gasoline."
Aircraft Performance
Total Empty Weight 2,348 2,348
Oil 30 30
Fuel (Main – 72 gal) 432 432
Aux Fuel (36 gal) 216
Pilot and Pax 410 410
Equipment 120 120
Baggage 200 200
Total T/O Weight 3,540 3,756
Fuel Burn (17 gph @ 1.58 hour) 161 161
Approx. Weight at Accident Site 3,379 3,595
The elevation at the accident site was about 657 feet, and the density altitude at the time of the accident was about 2,963 feet.
The Piper PA-23 Rate of Climb chart for single-engine operation indicated that an airplane weighing 3,379 pounds with a density altitude of 2,963 feet, the rate of climb would be about 170 feet per minute. An airplane weighing 3,595 pounds with a density altitude of 2,963 feet, the rate of climb would be about 110 feet per minute. The rate of climb chart was based on the performance of a new engine, and proper pilot inputs for single-engine operation.
The Piper PA-23 Pilot Operating Handbook states that the procedures for single-engine failure during cruise flight is to correct the yaw with rudder or the rudder trim tab; pull the throttle to idle; feather the propeller by pulling back on the propeller lever; pull mixture lever to idle cut-off; turn the ignition off; and raise the dead engine wing up about 3 degrees higher than level to counteract the tendency to turn in that direction.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The debris path was on a 100 degree magnetic heading, and there was an open field located on the east side of the road from where the airplane wreckage was found. The terrain between the accident site and where the airplane was observed by the witness consisted of rolling hills, woods, open fields, and roads near the Mississippi River. However, larger fields and flatter terrain with fewer obstacles were located to the northwest of the apparent route of flight, and on the east side of the river.
NTSB Identification: CEN12FA586
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 29, 2012 in Canton, MO
Aircraft: PIPER PA-23-150, registration: N1486P
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On August 29, 2012, about 1800 central daylight time, a Piper PA-23-150, N1486P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing when it impacted trees and terrain about 5 miles southwest of Canton, Iowa, after a partial loss of power. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight, which was not on a flight plan, departed from Pinckneyville, Illinois, about 1600, and was en route to the Antique Airfield, a private airstrip near Blakesburg, Iowa.
At 1754, the surface weather observation at the Quincy Regional Airport-Baldwin Field (UIN), Quincy, Illinois, located about 20 miles southeast of the accident, was: wind calm; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 33 degrees Celsius; dew point 15 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.02 inches of mercury.
Plane Crash: http://addins.whig.com/betweenthelens/plane-crash
Piper PA-23-150, N1486P
Luke Barton, a deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff's Department, looks over the plane wreckage. 
Deputies' shadows cast across a field pointing toward the plane wreckage. 
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish speaks about a plane crash that occurred Wednesday night in rural Lewis County.
CANTON, Mo. — Two southern Illinois men were killed in a small-plane crash Wednesday in a rural pasture about 3 1/2 miles southwest of Canton.
The plane crashed in an open field nearby a wooded area relatively close to 314th Ave.
John R. Johnson, 74 of Carbondale, and Carl S. Maiden, 47, of DuQuoin, died in the crash, believed to have occurred around 6 p.m. Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish said Thursday morning it was not clear yet which man was piloting the plane.
The identities were confirmed Thursday morning in a joint statement by Parrish and Lewis County Coroner Larry Arnold. Arnold had pronounced the two individuals dead at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday.
"The crash is believed to have been an accident," Parrish said. "The two men were believed to be on their way to Iowa for an antique air show, but that has not yet been confirmed."
Parrish said it is believed the plane took off from an airport in Pinckneyville, Ill. The crash site is about 10 miles from Lewis County Regional Airport, but it is not known if the plane was attempting the land at the facility.
Parrish said the time of the crash was determined by a report the Lewis County Sheriff's Department received from an individual who lives within a mile of the crash site.
"We also talked with someone who said he heard a plane at about 5:45 p.m. and a (possible) crash sound (shortly afterward)," Parrish said.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to have representatives on the ground at some point Thursday. The FAA was in contact with the Lewis County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol throughout Wednesday evening.
Two local residents from near the site of the crash said Wednesday night the area where the plane went down is considered "haunted." Jacob Taff, 18, and Logan Cibert, 20, arrived around 10 p.m. after they had heard about the crash.
"This is referred to as Magic School Bus Road and has always been considered haunted," Taff said.
Cibert said there have been numerous accidents on the road in past years.
Parrish said this is the third plane crash he has had to deal with in Lewis County in his 12-year tenure as sheriff.
Stevens Lee Walker, 71, of Newark, Mo., was the pilot and sole occupant of a single-engine plane that crashed and burned Nov. 1, 2007, shortly after taking off from the Sharpe Farms Airport. The plane crashed nose-first about 2.5 miles southeast of the private airstrip in a yet to be harvested field of milo. The site was seven-tenths of a mile east of State Highway D, on Lewis County 245th Street. Walker, a retiree from the Missouri Department of Transportation, was piloting a Zodiac 601XL.
Sam E. Sparks, 40, of Casselberry, Fla., and his 11-year-old son, Justin Sparks, of Winter Springs, Fla., were killed in a plane crash two miles from the Taylor airport on May 26, 2000. The plane went down in a soybean field in severe weather conditions. The single-engine Bellanca 17-30A landed about a mile east of County Road Z, 1 1/2 miles north of County Road V. The father and son were visiting family in the area.
Parrish said there was not yet any information on the make, model or other details involving the plane. According to information supplied by an individual who arrived at the scene before dark, the plane appeared to have been a relatively small craft and was "broken into pieces."
"At this point, we have no idea what may have caused the crash," Parrish said.
Also assisting at the scene were members of the Canton police and fire departments, and the Lewis County Ambulance District.
http://www.whig.com
CANTON, Mo. — Authorities are investigating the crash of a small plane in northeast Missouri that killed both men on board.
Lewis County, Mo., authorities identified the victims Thursday as 74-year-old John R. Johnson, of Carbondale, Ill., and 47-year-old Carl S. Maiden, of DuQuoin, Ill.
The crash happened around 6 p.m. Wednesday a few miles from Canton. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said the agency is trying to determine the cause of the crash. It wasn’t clear who was flying the plane. There was no rain or adverse weather at the time of the accident.
Molinaro said the 1956 Piper Apache plane did not have a flight plan. Relatives of the victims told the Missouri State Highway Patrol that the plane took off from an airport in Pinckneyville, Ill., and was en route to an antique air show in Blakesburg, Iowa.
Canton, a small Mississippi River town, is about 30 miles south of the Iowa border. The crash site is about 10 miles from Lewis County Regional Airport, but authorities weren’t sure if the plane was attempting to get there to land.
Though the FAA is investigating, Molinaro said information will be turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board, which will determine the cause of the crash.
LA GRANGE, Mo. (WGEM) - Two men died Wednesday evening in a plane crash north of La Grange, Missouri. Lewis County Coroner Larry Arnold says authorities the two victims are not from the tri-state region. Arnold said the two men were pronounced dead at 9:20 p.m.
Specific information regarding the victims and the plane is not being released at this time, pending notification of next of kin.
An autopsy will be performed on the pilot, Arnold said, per Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and regulations.
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish says crews are unsure at this time as to why the plane may have went down. Weather conditions were clear in the area Wednesday evening. Parrish said authorities responded to the scene after reports of a plane crash around 8:20 p.m. Wednesday. The plane was located at 314th Avenue, roughly 4.5 miles southwest of Canton.
However, initial investigations indicate that the plane could have crashed hours earlier.
"A farmer in the area that heard a plane at about 5:45 p.m. and recalled hearing the plane and hearing the sound of a soda can crunch," Parrish said. "He looked to the direction he thought it came from, but did not see smoke and did not think anything more about it."
"The people who actually found the plane were looking for deer, so it's kind of an unusual response," he added.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the crash and will be on the scene Thursday morning to begin an investigation.
Canton Police, Canton Fire Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Lewis County Ambulance Service all responded to the call.
CANTON, Mo. — Lewis County law enforcement officials confirmed late Thursday night the crash of a small plane in a rural pasture claimed the lives of two people believed to be from outside the Northeast Missouri and West-Central Illinois region.
The crash took place near 314th Ave., about 3 1/2 miles southwest of Canton sometime between 6 p.m. and dusk.
"The investigation is very preliminary at this point, but we can confirm two fatalities," Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish said. "Their identities are not being released until family members can be contacted. Both individuals are believed to be from out of state. I can confirm they are not Lewis County residents."
Lewis County coroner Larry Arnold pronounced both individuals dead at 9:20 p.m., Parrish said.
Two local residents from near the site of the crash said the area where the plane went down is considered haunted. Jacob Taff, 18, and Logan Cibert, 20, arrived around 10 p.m. after they had heard about the crash.
"This is referred to as Magic School Bus Road and has always been considered haunted," Taff said.
Cibert said there have been numerous accidents on the road in past years.
Parrish said this is the third plane crash he has had to deal with in Lewis County in his 12-year tenure as sheriff.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to have representatives on the ground at some point Thursday morning. The FAA was in contact with the Lewis County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol throughout Wednesday evening.
"The Canton 911 received a report at 8:20 p.m. of a possible plane crash," Parrish said. "We also talked with someone who said he heard a plane at about 5:45 p.m. and a (possible) crash sound (shortly afterward)."
Parrish said there was no information on the make, model or any other details involving the plane. According to information supplied by an individual who arrived at the scene before dark, the plane appeared to have been a relatively small craft and was "broken into pieces."
"At this point, we have no idea what may have caused the crash," Parrish said.
Also assisting at the scene were members of the Canton police and fire departments and the Lewis County Ambulance District.
Source: http://www.whig.com
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish has confirmed that two people lost their lives in a plane crash Wednesday night near LaGrange, Missouri. The first call came in at 8:20PM to the Lewis County 911 office. The names of the victims are not being released pending notification of family.
Two people have died in a plane crash that happened in rural Lewis County Wednesday night.
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish said names are not being released at this time pending notification of the victims' families.
Parrish did confirm that the victims were out-of-state.
The crash happened near Sunflower Road and 314 Avenue about 4 1/2 miles southwest of Canton.
The call was reported to the Lewis County 911 dispatch center at around 8:20 p.m.
Parrish wouldn't release any details about the type of plane.
"We're still worried about getting ahold of next of kin," Parrish said. "We're not sure why they're in this area. We don't want them to find out about it on the news. Once we get the formal notifications done, then we'll release more of that information."
The FAA is expected to arrive at the crash site sometime Thursday morning.
Parrish said this is his third plane crash he has seen during his years in office at the Lewis County Sheriff's office.
Story, photos and video: http://www.wgem.com
Story and comments: http://www.connecttristates.com
Plane downed between LaGrange and Canton
From KHQA News: The Lewis County Sheriffs Department has confirmed to KHQA that Law Enforcement and Emergency First Responders are responding to plane crash in a rural section of Lewis County.
UPDATE: KHQA has learned that the FAA has been called in by authorities to investigate a plane crash off of old US 61 near Lagrange. The site of the accident is off of Sunflower Road between LaGrange and Canton in rural Lewis County.
Source: http://quincyjournal.com
LEWIS COUNTY, Mo. (WGEM) -- Right now, authorities are on the scene of a plane crash in Lewis County, Missouri.
A WGEM News crew on the scene can see a pieces of a crashed plane. The plane went down north of La Grange, near Old Highway 61 by Sunflower Street.
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish said authorities responded to the scene after reports of a plane crash around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.
It is not yet known what type of plane it was, nor information on any possible passengers at this time.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the crash.
The Lewis County Sheriffs Department has confirmed to KHQA that Law Enforcement and Emergency First Responders are responding to a report of a possible plane crash in a rural section of Lewis County.
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From KHQA News: The Lewis County Sheriffs Department has confirmed to KHQA that Law Enforcement and Emergency First Responders are responding to plane crash in a rural section of Lewis County.
UPDATE: KHQA has learned that the FAA has been called in by authorities to investigate a plane crash off of old US 61 near Lagrange. The site of the accident is off of Sunflower Road between LaGrange and Canton in rural Lewis County.
Source: http://quincyjournal.com
LEWIS COUNTY, Mo. (WGEM) -- Right now, authorities are on the scene of a plane crash in Lewis County, Missouri.
A WGEM News crew on the scene can see a pieces of a crashed plane. The plane went down north of La Grange, near Old Highway 61 by Sunflower Street.
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish said authorities responded to the scene after reports of a plane crash around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.
It is not yet known what type of plane it was, nor information on any possible passengers at this time.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the crash.
The Lewis County Sheriffs Department has confirmed to KHQA that Law Enforcement and Emergency First Responders are responding to a report of a possible plane crash in a rural section of Lewis County.
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