A trail of smoke in
the sky above the mountains south of the City of Tehachapi was seen by
several people Friday morning, Nov. 8. Officials are searching the area
for an aircraft.
Photo by Tina Larson
Kern County Fire
Department helicopter 408 lands for refueling at a staging area at Curry
Street and Highline Road before resuming its search for a possible
downed aircraft in the mountains south of Tehachapi Friday, Nov. 8.
After an extensive search and further witness reports, it is now
believed that the aircraft in question was a sport plane practicing
aerobatics.
Gregory D. Cook / Tehachapi News
After searching for more than two hours through the mountains to the south of the City of Tehachapi, emergency crews determined based on a witness account that the previous report of a possible downed plane was likely a misconception.
Multiple witnesses reported to officials that they had seen a plane spewing smoke as it headed down behind the ridge line, then never saw the plane re-appear.
"We saw the smoke and it just spiraled straight down," said Tehachapi resident Tina Larson. She spotted the plane and snapped a photo while walking with her daughter near the end of Tucker Road just before 10 a.m. Friday.
Around noon, local resident Tom Lynch arrived at the command post at the corner of Highline Road and Curry Street and reported what he saw to authorities.
"He was having a...good time," Lynch said.
While headed to Stallion Springs, Lynch said he spotted what appeared to be a stunt plane. He has worked with aircraft for 37 years, he said. Lynch said he saw the plane continue along the ridge line, still purposely spewing smoke, do one more loop, turn off the smoke, and head southwest.
"I was wishing I could have been up there with him," he said.
Authorities on scene included Kern County Fire Department, Kern County Sheriff's Department, Tehachapi Police Department, and Hall Ambulance. Rescuers were searching by air using a helicopter based out of Keene. Heidi Dinkler lead the chopper team.
The area being searched was roughly west of the Tehachapi Mountain Valley Airport and east of Tehachapi Mountain Park.
Kern County Fire Capt. Wayne Griffith reported that the 911 call came in about 9:45 a.m. and crews responded immediately with ground and air crews. While the helicopter searched the ridge line, two TPD four-by-four vehicles combed the rough fire roads in the same mountainous area, according to TPD Officer Scott Ketcham.
David Goodell, incident commander for Kern Fire at the site, said he was "92 percent" certain there was no crash, but in the interest of "due diligence," he and other officials were remaining on scene, as of noon.
Authorities were also contacting area airports, trying to confirm whether any aircraft were missing or if a pilot was out conducting stunts. They received no reports of missing planes from any area airports, including Tehachapi Municipal Airport.
Source: http://www.tehachapinews.com
TEHACHAPI, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Emergency crews stopped their search around 12:30 p.m. Friday for what some believed was a downed airplane.
A 911 call was placed in the morning by people who reported seeing a plane take a nosedive into a mountain.
No wreckage was located, and crews said no local airports reported a missing plane.
Source: http://www.bakersfieldnow.com
TEHACHAPI, Calif. - 23ABC received reports of a possible plane crash in the hills above Tehachapi.
Kern County Sheriff's Department and Kern County fire crews are standing by at the incident command post on Highline Road and South Curry Street.
Officials said a witness saw a small white plane circling in an area south of Tucker Road, when they lost sight of the plane.
Fire crews have sent helicopter 408 into the area along the Ridgeline south of Tehachapi to search for any wreckage.
Source: http://www.turnto23.com
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